Big Sky Country
by RoseBrina
Summary: An AU story, set in the Montana ranch of newly-weds Mr and Mrs Taylor. What will happen as Mac and Stella and their new employees, Danny Messer and Lindsay Monroe, start their new lives? Mac/Stella, Danny/Lindsay, also FA. By lily moonlight & Brinchen86
1. Fresh Start

**Summary:**** An AU story, set in the Montana ranch of newly-weds Mr and Mrs Taylor. What will happen as Mac and Stella and their new employees, Danny Messer and Lindsay Monroe start their new lives? - SMacked, DL, FA**

**Author's note:**** Hey, it's lily moonlight and Brinchen86. Because we love AU fics so much, we decided to write one together. This one here is set in the 19th century. Leaving their old lives behind, Mac and Stella buy an old farm in Montana. Soon two new employees arrive; Danny and Lindsay, who are also looking for a fresh start. Meanwhile Flack and Jessica are busy with taking care of the town's shop and also Sid, Hawkes and Adam will find their place in the story. Find out what happens to all our favourite characters as they find that life in Montana holds more surprises and challenges than they ever imagined.**

**Disclaimer:**** We don't own anyone or anything.**

**Rating:**** K+**

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****Chapter 1:**** Fresh start**

The road was long; long and dusty and dry. They had been traveling on it since the rising of the sun in a flood of yellow light spilling across the land and the sky, and now the sun was beginning its descent into the blood red clouds of late evening. The huge and empty landscape surrounding them was bathed in red and the lingering heat of the day made the dirt road shimmer and snake away in front of them. Mac looked ahead and rubbed his eyes in weariness, feeling the vastness of the sky pressing down on him, until he saw the smallest dot of something waver into existence on the horizon. At that sight, a surge of energy passed through him. Stella, sleeping with her head on his shoulder, stirred suddenly as the wagon jolted over a rut in the road. Transferring the reins to one hand, Mac wrapped his arm round her, trying to move her into a more comfortable position, but her eyes were already opening, and she sat herself up and blinked hazily.

"You all right?" She asked him in a sleepy voice.

Mac smiled at her, and pointed to the dot on the horizon that was becoming clearer and taking shape into something, "More than all right, Stell. See that? Reckon we aren't too far now."  
She peered towards where he indicated, and a smile spread across her face, "Is that really what I think it is? Is that the place?"

He grinned, "Gotta be; we're on the right road, and there aren't any other places out here. Ours is the only homestead for miles, so the agent said."

"How far then? We got much further?" Shading her eyes with her hand, Stella leaned so far forward from the seat, that Mac grabbed hold of the back of her dress.

"Hey! Don't you be falling out!" He exclaimed, "Can't have any accidents before we've even reached our new home."

Stella sat back with a grin, fully awake now, and patted his leg, "Don't you be worrying! No way I'm falling out. Not when I'm excited to be so close!"

"Hold onto that excitement till we reach there, we got another half hour to go I reckon." He smiled softly at his wife as she gave him a kiss and than sat back with a sigh of contentment. Mac allowed himself a few seconds to gaze at her flushed cheeks and her hands pressed together as they did when she was excited, and then he turned back to the road, and the shape that was becoming clearer and clearer with each step their horses took.

Half an hour later, they rounded a bend in the road and came in sight of an old wooden gate leaning drunkenly on broken hinges, and an overgrown path; steep and barely wide enough for their wagon to pass along. He negotiated it carefully, Stella's hand on his arm the whole time, guiding the horses with him, and they made their way slowly, the wagon bumping and swaying, and their possessions rattling about inside it. He didn't miss Stella's wince at the sound of something smashing, and hoped for her sake that it wasn't one of the precious pieces of dinner service that had been their most prized wedding gift. Finally, they reached the end of the drive and a cluster of tumbledown buildings, surrounded by wooden fencing, met their eyes.

The horses slowed to a stop and everything fell into stillness. They sat in silence, drinking in the scene; the sounds of crickets chirping, the scents of evening cool in the air and the last fingers of the sun warming their faces. A hush fell around the old ranch that was their new home, and neither could speak for some time.

In the centre of the homestead was a farm house; built of wood and clapboard, with a tiled roof, some of which was slipping. Two of the windows had broken panes, smashed into spider web cracks, and the rest were festooned with dust and debris. Pieces of wood, old items of riding equipment, and mouldy hay bales lay flung about, and weeds were almost smothering the path to the front door. Thick clumps of sagebrush and grasses swayed in the breeze and a swirl of pollen blew around them as they sat and took everything in.

It was Stella who broke the silence; with a gulp in her voice, she tugged at Mac's sleeve, and drew her eyes to him, "Guess we'd better jump down and start unpacking everything, huh? Seeing as we're here and it's getting late."

Mac gripped her hand in his, squeezing it tight, "Sounds a good plan to me."

With a creaking of stiff muscles, he leaped down, and then as Stella moved to follow his actions, he reached up, caught her round the waist and lifted her, swinging her round before setting her down on the ground with a grin on his face, "Guess I ought to be carrying you over the threshold of our new home, what do you say?"

"Mac!" She hit him lightly on the arm, but her eyes were sparkling with laughter. Taking a step forward, she put her hands on her hips and surveyed the house, then she turned to her husband with a smile lighting up her tired features, "Can hardly believe it, that we're here and this is real!"

Mac smiled down at her, and kissed her cheek softly, before tucking a curl of hair that had tumbled down from the loose twist on top of her head behind her ear, "Of course it's real, Stell. As real as you and me. I always knew we'd make it. This is what we wanted, so we made it happen."

For a moment, she looked wistful, and Mac squeezed her hand, "What are you thinking?" His arm slipped round her waist, drawing her closer to him.

Stella sighed and turned to face him, the last rays of the setting sun catching in her curls, bringing out the glints of gold. Mac's breath caught in his chest as he gazed at her, and marvelled again that they were here, together, after all they had been through such a short time ago.

As if reading his thoughts, Stella ran her hand through his short crop of hair and laid her hand against his cheek, "I was just thinking about everything that happened before we made it here. Hard times, Mac. I'm hoping they're all behind us now, and we've got a bright future ahead of us out here." A shadow crossed her face, "Away from everything back East."

He laid his hand over hers, keeping it against his face, and pulled her closer to him so they were pressed together, feeling their hearts beat in unison, "We're here, we've got our new home, and we've got our new lives, together. Whatever the future holds, we've gotta remember that, Stella. I reckon the two of us can face anything so long as we've got each other."

His words had the effect he wanted as her smile reappeared and she tipped her head back to look at him, with her eyes shining again, "Reckon you're right. This is the first day of the rest of our lives."

* * *

"I'll be back soon, I promise," Lindsay whispered. Smiling warmly, she ran her hands through the thick, brown mane of Ranger, her beloved horse. Like always, she couldn't tear her eyes away from his; those beautiful, gentle brown eyes. It felt like he could gaze right into her mind, knowing exactly what she was thinking, what she was feeling. Like he understood her.

Still she could remember how she had seen him for the first time, back then still so young, only a couple of years old. It had been on a horse market, her first time ever. How excited she had been when her father had allowed her to join him, how thrilled she had been when on their way to the market he had told her he would buy her her own horse. The moment they had arrived at the busy market, with yelling salesmen everywhere, Ranger had caught her attention. No one had really wanted to buy the poor horse, mainly because he didn't even accept people touching him. His eyes though, they had caught Lindsay's attention. Possibly he was as nervous as her. Despite what her father had told her, she had approached him, all the time softly talking to him. It had been her who had made the impossible possible; Ranger hadn't just allowed her to touch, he had even allowed her to mount him.

This day, years in the past, had been the time she had decided she didn't want any other horse but Ranger. She had pleaded and discussed until her father, not without rolling his eyes at her, had agreed to buy him. Now, years later, he was her constant companion. Wherever she went, Ranger was with her. The horse with the warm, brown eyes gave her the feeling someone understood her. Something she wasn't used to when it came to her family.

"Why can't I just stay here all day?" she said quietly, snuggling her face into his warm fur. Once again she felt the lump in her throat; an all too familiar feeling. It wasn't her fault she wasn't like her sisters; all women who enjoyed staying at home, who enjoyed discussion with her mother, about topics every housewife liked to discuss. But this wasn't her. Lindsay didn't like to talk about recipes for meals they could cook for her father and brothers. She didn't like to talk about how to get dirt out of clothes best. She was different and with every year she realised that what her family had planned for her wasn't what she wanted herself.

"You'll see, one day we'll be able to make our dream come true," she said. Ranger looked back at her, once again seeming to understand her perfectly. Many times she had told him about her plans. Plans that wouldn't please her parents but her. Lindsay wasn't willing to do what she was supposed to do. She had three sisters and four brothers. There were enough people who'd be able to take care of her parents' farm one day. But this wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want to stay, the farm being handed over to her without her doing anything for it. Lindsay wanted to work. She wanted to create something on her own, with her own hands, no matter how many hours of work this cost. Since she could think she was like this; always having the dream of being independent, standing on her own feet. Since she could think her family had shaken their heads at her, amused by the girl's dreams that in their eyes would never come true.

Having a strong will and being a stubborn girl, those reactions only caused her wish to increase. One day she wanted to be independent. She couldn't imagine herself leaving the state yet. Montana was her home and possibly always would be. She loved the quiet of the country, the impressive sight of the mountains, the deep blue lakes, sparkling in the sun like thousands of diamonds, the sound of birds singing in the trees, the fresh smell that was so unique and always gave her a small taste of what it meant to be free. This didn't change that she couldn't imagine herself staying on her parents' farm forever.

"What do you think? Will they get mad at me when I'll tell them our news?" she asked Ranger. Leaning against the wooden door of his stable, she watched him. Her parents surely wouldn't be amused when they'd find out she had applied for a job on another ranch, miles away from theirs. She could already hear their questions; if she wanted to work on a ranch, why not staying at home? She knew they wouldn't understand her motives; that it didn't have to do with the job but with the fact she was doing something on her own, not something people had planned for her. She'd have to prove she was good if she didn't want to lose her job. It would be a challenge; exactly what she was looking for.

"Wish me luck," Lindsay said then, placing a soft kiss into the horse's fur. Then she left the barn again. Stepping through the large, wooden door, she stopped for a moment. Like always, the view took her breath away. Montana was a beautiful state, in Lindsay's opinion surely the most beautiful one of the whole country. Right in front of her, the endlessly long wheat fields reached the bottom of the mighty mountains in the distance, swaying in the light, warm breeze. The sun was slowly disappearing behind the mountains, colouring the surrounding area in a beautiful, almost mystic reddish colour. She took a deep breath of the fresh air, a smile on her face. She could almost smell the adventure that was awaiting her and no one would be able to convince her from the opposite.

* * *

Danny was staring into the mirror in front of him for who knew how long already. His hands were resting on the old, wooden surface of the commode, his arms carrying the weight of his exhausted, aching body. The blurry image in the dusky mirror was perfectly fitting to his inner shape. Blinking a few times, he stared at the bruised up face of his own, one eye slightly swollen, blood dripping from a fresh wound above the other eyes, leaving marks on the dark wood of the commode. His body was shaking. A strong anger was rushing through his muscles, causing him to need his entire willpower to not smash his hand into the mirror. His hands clenched into fists, his eyes squeezed shut. He took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm himself down again.

But the image in the mirror stayed the same. Releasing a deep, painful sigh, Danny turned his eyes away from his own appearance. Quickly he took a piece of cloth from the top drawer of the commode, wetted it in the small bowl in front of the mirror and pressed it against his bleeding wound, hissing at the sharp pain. Still shivering, he made his way over to the small window above his bed, the floorboards squealing under his heavy boots. With a painful groan, he knelt down on his bed, just enough so he could sit but still look out of the window. The pale sunlight was burning in his eyes and he had to narrow them to look out onto the busy streets below. Dusk was preventing most of the sunshine from finding its way into his bedroom. He always kept his window closed, not wanting the dirty air to get into his small room, covering the walls with the dark dusk of the factories.

"Dammit," Danny cursed, shaking his head. He didn't understand why he had kept on bothering himself with those tiring circumstances. A city that was so busy, so loud, so dirty. Family members who entertained a good relationship to a pretty decent bunch of criminals. A brother who brought himself into trouble over and over again, needing his younger brother's help then. And what did he get for helping him out over and over again? Right, he got beaten up by strangers, just because he had wanted to support his brother. Or because he had wanted to help his family. Or because of no reason at all. It was tiring, exhausting and he had enough of it. He had enough of this way of life, had enough of this dirty, boring life in a city where no one cared about him at all. He needed a fresh start, far away from home. A fresh start somewhere nowhere, where no one of those people who caused so much trouble could find him. Like a lonely ranch in Montana.

"Don't you start to wallow in self pity now," he hissed at himself. "That ain't gonna happen. It's your own fault you didn't come up with that earlier."

Carefully he crawled away from the window and lay down across his bed, which squealed at every movement. Groaning at the pain that shot through his body, coming from the bruises that covered most parts of his skin, he reached over to the tiny, old table next to his bed. Almost gently he took the envelope into his hands before he sat up straight again, resting against the metal frame of his bed. Ignoring the pain the hard bar caused while being pressed against his back, he examined the small, white letter. Well, white didn't quite describe its colour; since it had arrived at his place, its formally bright colour had changed into a light greyish one now from being opened over and over again. This envelope contained a letter; a letter that had the answer for all his problems. Danny was convinced about that.

With a smile Danny fished the folded paper out of the envelope, like so many times before reading it again, taking in every single word. In only a couple of weeks, he would start his new job. A job far away from the city, on a lonely ranch in Montana. Applying for the job, he had never really expected to get an answer. Who was going to employ a man from the city who had no idea what it meant to work on a farm day in and day out? Who had no idea how it was like to live in the endless, dusky landscape of the Mid Western state? Obviously the couple that owned the ranch hadn't agreed with his opinion.

Closing his eyes, Danny took a deep breath. Relieved he found himself no longer angry. The prospect of moving soon, leaving his old life and all those problems behind caused him to shiver in joy. Images of endlessly long wheat fields, of strong mountains with snowy tops, of glistering, deep blue lakes found their way into his mind. It seemed like he could almost smell it; the smell of hay, of animals, of fir trees and fresh, wet earth after a rain shower. The smell of freedom. Only a few more weeks and he'd be working on a ranch, in an area like this where everything was so different from what he was used to. It was an adventure; an adventure he was eager to experience, excited about what was awaiting him.

* * *

"Have a nice day," Jessica said, handing the small paperbag with the good the customer had bought, over to him, giving him a friendly smile. She watching him carry it through the shop, carefully to not drop the well filled bag. She already could see it coming; her customer would struggle with opening the door to leave the store again. Quickly she followed him, reaching the door before him and opened it. "Allow me to help you with that."

The old man smiled up at her, nodding gratefully. "Thank you, Miss."

"You're welcome," Jessica replied. Smiling, she watched the old man balancing his bag out of the shop. She made sure he managed the few steps in front of the entrance door. While her customer slowly made his way across the dry, dusky street, she remained standing in the doorway for a moment. It was a beautiful afternoon in spring, the birds were singing in the trees, a light, warm breeze was blowing, gently creeping under her dress. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh smell that was so unique for a spring day in Montana. Jessica loved spring, when the trees were green again, when the flowers started to bloom. How much she loved walking around the town, seeing flowers everywhere. Still with a smile on her face, she headed back into the store and closed the door again, causing the tiny doorbell attached to the doorframe to make a little noise. When she turned around, she almost jumped when she realised she wasn't alone in the store anymore.

"Don!" she exclaimed, pressing one hand against her chest. "Don't you scare me like that!"

"I'm sorry," Flack apologized, a broad smile on his face. "Have you been daydreaming again, Miss Jessica?"

Jessica immediately felt herself blushing. Flack knew her too well. Then again this was no surprise; they were working together all day for years now. Still she could recall the day when Don Flack had arrived, looking for a job to start his new life in a town with the fitting name 'Hope'. Her father had offered him to work in his store for a while until he'd find another job. Years had passed since this day and now Mr. Angell was convinced he couldn't be happier with his employee; as a worker but also as a loving partner for his daughter.

"I'm just enjoying the beauty of the day," Jessica answered.

"I know how much you love this season, Miss Jessica," he said softly, giving her his warmest smile. "Spring and all the beautiful flowers it brings with it. It ain't surprising me you're daydreaming, my love."

Jessica's face redden more at the loving words. "Well, I reckon we might go back to work now. Only a question of time until new customers will arrive and they won't gonna find us chatting like this."

"You're right, Miss Jessica," Flack answered, still smiling at her. "Like always."


	2. The Adventure Begins

**Author's note: Thank you so much for the lovely reviews and for adding our story to your favourites and alerts! And thanks to everyone for reading it! Special thanks to Aubrey212, Mynerva24, cmaddict, afrozenheart412, SMacked Hard and Hylen! Also check out our stories under our individual accounts! Here's the next chapter for you. Enjoy! :)**

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****Chapter 2: The Adventure Begins**

There was a lot Lindsay loved about her home state Montana. Since she couldn't ever imagine herself growing up and living at any other place. There were towns in Montana of course, some of them even rather big in her opinion. She had heard about the large cities at the east coast of the country though, and in a place like this she could definitely not see herself. She needed the quiet and peace of nature she knew she got wherever she went in Montana. She needed the tall, mighty mountains, the deep, blue lakes, the long, wild rivers, the thick, dark forests and the endlessly long fields. She needed this landscape, with everything it had to give. It was her home, more than a house could ever be. Something like this she wouldn't be able to find in the dusky, busy cities, like the most famous one of them; New York.

For Lindsay, living in Montana meant to be free, now more than ever. Back home, on her parents' farm she had used every possible opportunity to escape, to sneak out, mount Ranger and ride out. How many hours she had spent on the back of her horse, riding through endlessly long wheat fields, enjoying the heat of the sun on her bright skin. Or though the dark forests, enjoying all the delicious smell only a thick forest could give.

"You know, Ranger, actually I don't understand why they've been so surprised," she said, patting his warm, soft fur. "They know I've sneaked out all those times; you know how often I've been lying in my bedroom, crying my eyes out because they've yet again yelled at me for being out in the country again instead of sitting at home, doing what every woman is supposed to do. They knew that no matter what they told me, I'd sneak out again, maybe even the same evening already. They shouldn't have been surprised by my plans. Am I right?"

She moved a bit in the saddle to glance at her horse. Like all the hours before, Ranger was walking, his hooves hitting against the dusky, dry road in a steady rhythm. Nothing could scare this calm, wise animal. Knowing him almost as good as a human friend, she didn't miss how his ears moved lightly at her spoken words, standing up straight, signalling her he was listening. And possibly once again the only one who understood her.

"Still they've acted like I came up with the most senseless plan ever," she added, sighing.

Of course Lindsay had expected her parents wouldn't be happy the moment she'd announce she was going to leave the farm. They weren't even aware of the fact that their youngest daughter had applied for a job on another ranch. She had tried her best to keep it a secret, had always been the first one at the mail box to catch the letter she was waiting for desperately every day before anyone else could read it. One day it had arrived and with shaking hands, Lindsay had opened it right out there at the mail box. Quickly she had let her eyes wander over the lines written on white paper before she had turned around and rushed into the barn, trying her best to not shout out in joy at the wonderful answer she had found in said letter. She had gotten the job. And back then she had known her parents would be anything but amused about that. She had been right.

"How can you do that to us?" her father had yelled, in a voice that had caused her to shudder. "Our youngest daughter! Applying for a job on a ranch! Didn't we give you anything you needed? I always knew this girl would cause us problems one day, with this stubborn mind of yours." This last sentence had been directed at Lindsay's mother. Lindsay had been prepared for another attack coming from her mother this time. The woman's response had surprised her though.

"She'll have her reasons for doing so," she said. "I didn't see this coming, but I knew we couldn't lock her up in her room forever. She needs to decide what's the best for her, even if that's not what we'd like to see her doing." To Lindsay she had said, "I hope you made the right decision for yourself. There's always still the opportunity for you to come home."

This reaction hadn't been what Lindsay had expected to come from her mother. She knew the woman wasn't amused about her decision either. Owning an almost as stubborn mind as herself though, her mother could partly understand her daughter's decision; she needed to try something on her own, needed to follow her longing for freedom and independence. Lindsay was aware of the fact that her mother was certain she'd come back home one day, but she was determined to prove the opposite.

"It was the right decision," she announced, blinking lightly in the bright afternoon sun. They had been riding for hours now, all the time following a dusky road through long, dry fields. "It was the right decision and I will prove it."

Once again she noticed Ranger's ears moving lightly. Lindsay knew if he could speak, he'd agree with her. She was determined, sometimes even stubborn. She had a mind of her own though and she knew what was good for her. She knew working on the Taylors' farm was what she wanted and she was excitedly looking forward to this new challenge.

* * *

Sitting in the train, Danny kept on staring out of the dusky, dirty window next to him, trying to keep his eyes open. Sighing lightly, he shifted in his hard, uncomfortable seat, accidentally bumping into the person sitting next to him lightly. The person, an old man with long, grey hair and a long, grey beard, mumbled some words he didn't understand but didn't wake up, so Danny didn't see a sense in changing this with his apologies.

Releasing another light sigh, Danny turned his attention back to the window. He had given up on enjoying the beautiful landscape outside, rushing past him while the long, loud train found its way through the country. How much he wished he had already reached his target. Still there were so many hours left; hours he'd have to spend in a small, very small cabin of an old train, together with at least ten other people. He could consider himself lucky he had gotten a seat and could even sit near the window, which had two big advantages; he could look out of it instead of staring at either the wall in front of him or the other passengers and he was closest to the bit of fresh air that found its way into the cabin. Fresh air possibly wasn't the right description for the dusky, smelling breeze that found its way into the inside of the train. Still it was more welcomed than the smell of ten sweating passengers.

But despite himself, Danny didn't find himself being annoyed at all. He was willing to take the burden of this long and hard journey, because it was worth it. It was only one part of his fresh start. Every mile he spent on his seat in the little cabin brought him further away from the large city of New York and closer to his new future; a ranch somewhere nowhere in the middle of Montana. Still it felt like a dream, still he couldn't believe he had managed to do it; leave his past behind.

It had taken Danny a lot of strength to tell his family about his plans. Although he knew he couldn't bear this lifestyle of his criminal family, there was still a connection between them, and always would be. After all they were his family and during the years he had risked a lot to take care of them and get them out of trouble. Being so completely different from them though had made it almost impossible for keep on following this way of life. He was different and he needed a change. A huge change. He needed a fresh start and what was better than earning his money with honest, hard work on a ranch where he did something good instead of helping those who broke the law? Of course his family hadn't been amused, but he didn't care. After all Louie, his brother, had taken him to the train station and had told him to visit them somewhere in the future, or at least send some letters. He knew even though no one of his family liked the fact their youngest member was going to work on a ranch so many miles away, they were able to understand him. He wasn't like them and they would accept it, if they wanted or not.

"Not the most comfortable way to travel, eh?" a dark, raspy male voice interrupted him in his thoughts. Turning around to where the voice had come from, he found the man in front of him looking at him. Did he talk to him?

"What?" Danny asked, just t make sure he was the one the question had been directed to. The man was short and thin, with messy grey hair and beard, revealing he possibly didn't even own half of his teeth anymore when he laughed.

"Not a nice way to travel I said," he repeated. "Surely could imagine something better than being locked in a box like this."

"At least we can sit," Danny answered, adjusting his position lightly, making sure he didn't bump into the person next to him again.

"True, true," the man said, again laughing. "So kid, where're you going to?"

"Montana," he replied. Actually Danny wasn't in the mood for making conversation. Saying this wasn't polite though. Also he hoped the conversation with the man would keep him awake. Still he felt uncomfortable with sleeping in this cabin, not sure whether he'd wake up with the few things he had taken with him on his journey. The money surely wouldn't be anywhere to find anymore then.

"Montana?" the man repeated. "Beautiful country, I can tell you, son. But what's a young man like you gonna do over there? There's nothing but...nothing. And some mountains and stuff."

Danny couldn't help but smile at the man's description. Everyone living in the city had kept on telling him heading to the West of the country wouldn't be worth the cost. The countryside was quiet and lonely. This was exactly what Danny was looking for though.

"I'm gonna work on a ranch over there," he explained then.

"On a ranch?" The man raised his eyebrows. "A city boy like you? Not afraid of the hard work?"

Still smiling, Danny shook his head at the comment. Possibly this wouldn't be the last time he'd get confronted with opinions like that. "Not at all. It's what I need to do I guess."

"Good luck then," the man said, nodding his head to emphasise his words. "Don't know you, son, but looking at you I reckon you're gonna be fine. Looks like you won't shy away when it comes to hard work."

"Surely not," Danny agreed.

He knew working and living on a ranch in the countryside of Montana wouldn't be easy. Danny was well aware of the fact he'd have to work hard. Especially if he wasn't planning on losing his job after not even a week. Still he was sure his decision had been right. The old man in front of him believed in him, so did he. This was an adventure and a challenge; exactly what he wanted.

* * *

"Here, let me do that, Miss Jessica." Don's voice came through the back door of the store, stopping Jessica in the process of gripping the corners of a large sack of flour ready to lift and place it at the front of the counter. With a grin, she let her hands slacken, and turned to face him.

"Think I'm not strong enough for this, Don?" Her hands went to her hips, and her stare challenged him as he strode over, heaved up the sack with a grunt and deposited it next to a barrel of molasses.

"Nope." He replied, dusting off his hands, "Not what I think at all. You got more strength than many men I know of. Guess I like doing things to help you, that's all. Gotta allow a man a few chances to be chivalrous to his girl." With a grin, he folded his arms and stared back at her.

Jessica pursed her lips, trying her hardest to give him a glare, but her mouth soon crinkled into laughter and she shook her head, "Sure, Don, take your chances, I'll allow you a few. Don't think you can get away with taking on all the work though, just 'cause Ma and Pa are out of town. I gotta do my fair share here too."

"Course you do, I'm not gonna stop you doing that. Like I say, I like to help you out when I can."

Jessica's grin widened, and she pointed to the far end of the counter, "In that case, you'd best be picking up that sack of flour again, and moving it to where I was going to put it, which is over there."

His face flushed, and he frowned, but only for a moment, before he shook his head ruefully, "Guess I asked for that." He hefted the sack again and placed it to her satisfaction, before turning back to her, redder in the cheeks and a little out of breath, "Sure don't fill those sacks to be easy to carry, do they? Good thing I was around to move it for you!"

With a wink, he dodged out of the way of her attempted smack to his arm, and they both giggled together.

As their laughter gave way to shy smiles, they realised they had moved closer together, and Jessica suddenly became aware of Don's presence in front her, the scent of wood shavings on him, and the small streak of flour across his cheek.

"Hey." She murmured, and raised her hand, "You got something on your face. Let me…"

Moving in closer to him, she felt her heart beating a little faster and the warmth flooding her skin as her fingers brushed his face. For a moment they stood there, eyes drawn together, breathing in rhythm, and then the bell above the door jangled, and Jessica jerked a step back, aware suddenly of their surroundings, and the fact that they had customers.

Glancing quickly at Don, who had retreated behind the counter, his appearance all business-like again, she smoothed her apron down and readied herself as the door opened.

A flood of sunlight washed into the store, illuminating the somewhat dusty interior and Jess blinked, dazzled for a few seconds. A couple walked in, and she recognised them as the new owners of the old ranch a few miles out of town; the Taylors, who she had met briefly twice before when they had come to the store for provisions. She had liked them immediately, and smiled warmly at them now.

Mr Taylor was a serious faced man, though his expression softened whenever his gaze fell on his wife. Something that happened often, Jessica had observed with a smile.

The first time they came into the store with orders for groceries and a length of material for Mrs Taylor, she had noticed that where Mr Taylor was slow to relax his manner, his wife was immediately open and generous. Her face had beamed with pleasure as Jessica had found her the perfect colour and pattern of fabric for the new curtains in the farmhouse she was eager to tell her about.

She had also watched with pleasure as Mrs Taylor exclaimed over things to her husband, pointing at all the goods hanging from the ceiling, touching the different items on display, running her hands over the bolts of cloth and picking out the ones she liked, turning now and again to her husband with a raised eyebrow, or a quirk of her lips, which he seemed to understand perfectly. Between them both seemed to be running an unspoken conversation, which she had enjoyed observing.

As they walked into the shop now, she noticed the way Mr Taylor stood protectively at the side of his wife, and how she took the lead in opening the conversation.

"Good morning, Miss Angell." She shook Jessica's hand warmly, and her husband followed suit, with a touch of his hat to her also. Don came forward from behind the counter and handshakes were exchanged with him.

"What can we do for you both today?" Jessica asked, stepping back a little to allow the couple to look around, and, she hoped, admire the display of boxed candies she had arranged so carefully earlier in the centre of the floor, "Is there anything in particular you were wanting?"

Mrs Taylor turned to her husband, "Shall we share our good news, Mac?"

A smile spread across his face, "I can see you're eager to, Stell, so go right ahead. It isn't a secret."

Jessica lifted her eyebrows, and took a guess at what their news might be, given that they were a newly married couple.

Mrs Taylor, turned to her with a look of excitement, "We're expecting two new additions to our little family!"

Feeling her eyebrows rising higher, Jessica sneaked a glance at Don, who was looking equally surprised, and was scratching the top of his head. _Two_ new additions? That she was _not_ expecting.

"Really?" She managed to say, "Then, er, congratulations to you both. That's, er, that's wonderful news."

Nodding eagerly, Mrs Taylor clasped her hands and sent a look of happiness to her husband, "It is indeed. We're thrilled about it."

"And when… when do you expect their, er, arrival?" It felt to Jessica as if she was stepping into possibly forbidden areas of conversation, given that she had only met the couple twice before.

Mrs Taylor however, seemed to take no offence at the question, or seem to feel that it was impertinent, and answered without hesitation, "Oh, very soon, not long to wait. If all goes well, they should both be here this evening!"

At that, Jessica's jaw dropped in a most unladylike fashion, and a glance at Don, showed his face in a similar expression. As little as she knew about such matters, seeing as they were, so her mother told her, to be talked about only when she was married, she knew enough to be startled at the information. From what she knew, new additions to families generally took a few months to appear, and usually involved a change in appearance of a married lady. Even though she was trying not to stare at Mrs Taylor, it was easy to see that she certainly did not look to be expecting new additions imminently…

Gathering her wits, she cleared her throat, and chose her words carefully, "Well goodness, that is soon! Are you, if I'm not being too forward in asking you, all prepared for their arrival?"  
A merry laugh came from Mrs Taylor then, "Oh no, not at all! That's why we've dashed over here. We've hardly a crumb of food in the pantry, and I'm guessing they're both going to be needing a good meal inside of them when they arrive. They're both making a long journey to be here."

Jessica's face scrunched up in confusion, "A long journey?"

"Yes indeed, why, one of them's coming all the way from New York city itself, isn't that right, Mac?"

"It is." Her husband answered, "He'll have had a fair few days of travelling along the railroad."

"By rail? Ah!" Suddenly, feeling embarrassment wash over her, Jessica realised what the couple were _not_ talking about, and felt very foolish. Mrs Taylor looked at her, tilting her head to one side, then realisation dawned on her face and pink tinged her cheeks as her hand flew to her mouth, "Oh my! You thought I was talking about something else entirely, didn't you? Goodness me no, no, I should have explained myself more clearly. Fact is, we have two young folks arriving today to be working on the ranch! So Mac and me have come into town to make sure we got enough food and supplies to give them a good meal and make sure they got everything they need to be comfortable with us."

Mr Taylor's face was poker-straight, but Jessica did not fail to see the twinkle in his eyes as he looked at his wife, and stepped in to save any further embarrassment on anyone's part, "We've got a few items of groceries we need, Miss Angell, that we'd be much obliged to you to find for us. Hope a list is acceptable to you."

"Acceptable indeed, thank you, Sir." She took the proffered slip of paper with a grateful smile, feeling her cheeks cool, and then waved them both over to the chairs set at one end of the counter for customers to wait on, "Make yourselves comfortable, please, while Mr Flack and I complete your order."

Mr Taylor nodded, "Thank you both." He moved to lead his wife over to the chairs, but she grasped his hand and shook her head.

"We've got enough sitting to do on the ride back, let's look around whilst we wait. Sure, there's plenty of interesting things here for us to admire."

"If you say so, Stella." He smiled at her, and did not pull his hand away, and the two of them roamed around the shop floor, looking and exploring, and talking in low tones, or just exchanging glances that spoke volumes. Keeping her attention on her tasks, Jessica still found them fascinating, and enjoyed seeing their obvious happiness with each other, and all the signs of a couple very much in love. It was in the way Mr Taylor's hand stayed in his wife's, and how he straightened the shawl over her shoulders; and it was in the way Mrs Taylor's hand touched her husband's cheek and the smile she had in her eyes whenever she looked at him.

Without realising, Jessica found herself sighing, and her gaze wandering to Don as he attended to the rest of the Taylor's order. Watching as he climbed up to take down items from the top shelves, she began to consider their future, and all the promises it held. And a smile crept across her face as she allowed herself to dream.

In no time at all, the order for the couple was packed up and the bill was settled. Mr Taylor picked up the parcels and packages, and would have carried them all, had not Mrs Taylor plucked several out of his arms with an amused frown, "Mac, I know you're only being a gentleman, but I do have arms myself and the ability to carry a parcel or two, so hand a few over. 'Sides, I don't want you dropping any of those fresh eggs we've just bought!"

"Well don't you be dropping them neither!" He retorted, but the smile on his face belied any severity.

They turned then to Jessica and Don, and farewells were exchanged, before Mrs Taylor breezed out of the store, her husband following close behind, turning back before the door closed to raise his hat once more.

Then they were gone and silence drifted into the store again. Jessica stood in thought, until a light touch on her should made her spin round.

"You all right, Miss Jessica?" Don asked her, concern in his blue eyes.

She squeezed his arm gently, "I'm fine. Just thinking about the Taylors, thinking about how they're setting up together and making that old ranch into a home. They've sure got plenty ahead of them. Good things, I'm hoping."

"Reckon they've got good on their side." Don smiled, "They're real decent folks. Hope we see more of them soon, and get to meet these new folks they've got coming to work for them."  
"I hope so." She mused, just as the bell above the door jangled again, announcing new custom, "Hope they've got a happy road ahead of them too."

And with that, her attention turned to their next customer, and the day continued.


	3. Arrivals And First Encounters

**Authors' Note: Thank you for alerts and favourites, and a special thank you to **_**afrozenheart412**_** for reviewing chapter 2. There's still time to review that one if you didn't! We hope you liked the last one, and we'd love a few more reviews for this chapter, it helps our writing :D Also, check out our individual stories; 'Old West' and 'Somewhere Out There' have been updated recently! Enjoy :D**

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**Chapter 3: Arrivals And First Encounters**

"Mac! Be careful!"

Stella rushed across the room and grabbed hold of the rickety set of steps as they wobbled, almost pitching her husband onto the floor. He steadied himself with a hand on her shoulder, before jumping down and giving her a look of apology.

"You almost fell!" She exclaimed, "What would we have done then, huh? Tell me how you'd have managed with a broken leg, or worse, a broken neck? You don't take enough care of yourself!"

He grinned, looking a little embarrassed, "Least I got you to take care of me when I forget to. Sorry, Stell. Didn't realise those steps were quite so fragile."

"Yeah, well, just be more cautious. 'Cause if you fall and break your leg, I'm not gonna have any sympathy with you." She huffed, "What in the world were you trying to do anyhow?"

He shrugged, and the look of embarrassment crept further down his neck, flushing his skin a deep berry red, "Hanging those curtains you'd made, I know you wanted them up for when our employees arrive."

"But not at the cost of your legs or neck!" An exasperated tone was in Stella's voice, and her hands were on her hips, but at the same time, she knew she couldn't stay angry at her husband for long. As she shook her head at him now, and tried to purse her mouth into what she hoped was a disapproving look, she could feel her lips wanting to smile at his actions. And the sheepish look he was giving her now made her sigh, and then finally burst into laughter as she sank down onto the narrow bed in the room.

"Oh! Who'd have thought you'd be such a dab hand at hanging curtains? I'm sorry I snapped at you, it was real thoughtful of you, and I appreciate the effort. I just don't want you hurting yourself. Wouldn't look so good if our new employees were to arrive and find the master of the ranch laid up in bed unable to move, with both his legs broke!"

"You'd be more than capable of seeing to things, even if I wasn't here or able to, Stella." He said soberly, and her laughter died away as she stared at him.

"Maybe I would be, and I'd like to think I was, but that's not the point. We're here together, this is our ranch. And I sure don't want to be running it by myself. That's not how we do things. We're in this adventure together, taking care of each other."

Mac sat himself down on the bed beside her, and took hold of her hand, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss. Any trace of exasperation died away then as she looked at him, and felt his eyes searching her face. The sight of his eyes, as blue and as grey and as changeful as the water in the creek stirred her heart. She laid her hand against his cheek, and remembered the first time she had seen his eyes. All those years ago, back in the city way across the plains and prairies; long, long miles away. Almost a lifetime ago it seemed. Already the smell of the city with its close and stifling air, and its dirt and smoke was fading. Replaced by the scent of the breeze and the whispering sighs of the wheatfields. The two of them had left almost everything behind but themselves, only bringing enough to half-fill their wagon. The farm was sparsely furnished, but it didn't matter. It was their home. And as she had told Miss Angell and Mr Flack at the store, their little home was soon to welcome new arrivals.

They had been at the ranch for almost three weeks, and in that short time, she and Mac had transformed what was neglected and decaying, to a place that was loved and reviving. With Mac's hand still clasping hers, and her other hand touching his face, she gazed round with a sigh of happiness. They were sitting in the little slip of a room that they had decided would be Miss Lindsay Monroe's room. Knowing she was a young woman, a few years younger than she was, Stella had added a few personal and feminine touches to the room - a small glass vase of Indian Paintbrush flowers sat on the windowsill, and fresh yellow curtains, the cause of her anxiety for Mac's safety, fluttered at the open window. The bed was covered with a rainbow coloured blanket, and the tiny dressing table was spread with a lacework cloth. It had been a gift for Stella herself, from her dearest friend, Victoria, as a wedding gift. It fitted perfectly to the little room, and had been the finishing touch. As she took in the room, Stella felt a glow of satisfaction at their hard work. She and Mac had worked as partners and equals to bring the ranch back to life; he took on the carpentry and external repairs, she tackled the interior, pinning her hair up, covering it over with a scarf, and not minding the dust and grime as she scrubbed, washed and swept every surface.

Every night, late into the final hours of the day, they had set down their tools, lit their candles and walked hand in hand up the stairs to collapse exhausted into bed. Always falling asleep in each other's arms to the sound of owls hooting and the wind keening through the gaps in the windows and walls. But it hadn't mattered. They were home, and they were together. She and Mac.

"What are you thinking?"

His question stirred her out of her reverie, and she turned to him with a small smile, "Thinking about all we've done here, and how we've done it together. What about you? I wasn't the only one deep in thought."

"I'm thinking I'm the luckiest man on earth to be here and married to you." He murmured, leaning in to kiss her. She wrapped her arms round his shoulders, and pulled him closer to her, so his head was in the soft curve of her neck. Feeling her eyes sting, she knew laying bare his feelings was not something Mac did often, and it made the times he did more precious. Even though he did not always speak his feelings in words, however, she knew how much he cared for her.

And she knew how much she cared for him. So much sometimes it felt as if her heart could burst with the emotions stored up inside. She loved him; fiercely, recklessly, agonisingly. It made her ache inside sometimes; the knowledge that she loved this man, and would do anything for him.

"You know something?" She whispered into his ear, as his short hair tickled her lips, "You may think you're the luckiest man, but I count myself more than lucky to have you with me."

Gently, she stroked his hair, the rhythm of her fingers lulling her into drowsiness. He wrapped his arms around her, and his hand rubbed the small of her back. Time drifted on as they held each other, and Stella felt her eyes closing. She was weary, she realised, with surprise, and that thought made her open her eyes, and give Mac a gentle push.

"Hey! We got a whole heap of stuff still to do. It's gotta be late afternoon, we haven't got long till they'll be arriving. Can't have new folks coming and us sitting about on their beds." With a grin stretched by a yawn, she rose from the bed, and heaved her husband up by the hand, "Come on, we got plenty to do. Let's get ourselves something to drink and then carry on."

He smiled and let her lead him out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen, where they sat sipping ice cold and sharply sweet lemonade.

Neither of them could stop themselves glancing out of the window, and it was with a grin that Stella nudged Mac with her foot under the table and said, "You looking out's not gonna make them arrive any faster."

But even as she saw him open his mouth to reply, a clatter of hooves outside made her leap to her feet, and dash around the table to him, suddenly nervous.

"It's them! It has to be! Or Miss Monroe at least, she wrote and said she was coming by horse! Oh, Mac! Are we ready? How do I look? What will they think?"

He stood with a smile sparkling at the corners of his mouth and his arms folded, "You look beautiful as ever, we're as ready as we'll ever be, and what they think is down to them. Can't do any more now, we've done our best and that's good enough. Let's go and meet them."

His arm was held out to her, and with one last, nervous look sweeping round the kitchen, Stella smoothed her hands through her unruly curls, dusted her dress down, and slipped her arm through her husband's. Then, together, they opened the door and stepped outside to meet the new arrivals.

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Lindsay wasn't sure how many hours she and Ranger had been riding through the endless landscape of Montana. For hours they had been following a small, dusty and rocky road, nothing surrounding them but wheat fields, tall mountains and deep forests. That morning Lindsay had woken up and known it was the beginning of a long and exhausting journey, which both excited and frightened her. She was an open minded person with a free spirit and the strong wish to be independent. Still she was used to being around people who were older than her and knew what to do in case she made a mistake. Lindsay had been out in the country alone a lot of times before, but never had she left her parents' land for more than a few hours and had gone further than a few miles. Now she was riding across the state, on her way to a ranch and a new future.

Lindsay was used to every day being planned to the last detail. Ever since her birth, her parents had a strict plan of what she was supposed to do. Still Lindsay had found ways to break out of those stubborn structures, but anyway she had been following most of those rules and plans, had done what she had been supposed to do, in the time she had been supposed to need. Now she had to organise her days on her own. She had to make sure she had enough food and water. She had to decide how long she and Ranger could ride through the landscape, how much of the heat of the already warm spring month they could take before it got too much. She had to decide where to stop and how long to stop, when to sleep and how long to sleep. Now no one was there to take care of her, no one told her how to do it right when she made a mistake. Hours and days would be spent only with her horse, out there in the wilderness of Montana. She couldn't be sure whether she would get in trouble; thieves, wild animals, weather changes. No one could help her out if she got lost on her way to a ranch where she had never been before. No one could give her water or food if she ran out of them. Everything had to be organised by her, on her own and she had to trust in no one else but herself.

But surprisingly this was exactly what Lindsay enjoyed about her journey. She couldn't deny she was nervous about the fact she was on her own with no support or help. Still she was certain she could handle this challenge on her own. She didn't need someone to tell her what to do. All her life she had been told how to act, never had had a chance to show how strong, how smart she was on her own. Barely anyone she knew was aware of how much she knew about horses, about how to treat them. Barely anyone knew how much she enjoyed to write, how much she enjoyed to read books. Her parents didn't even know she owned her own books; the thick novels she never got tired of reading when she had a moment where she wasn't out in the country with Ranger or working. It almost seemed like her family didn't know anything about the person that Lindsay really was. All they knew was that she loved her horse and knew how to work.

There was much more behind her pretty appearance though. On the Taylor's ranch, she'd have the chance to show who she really was. No one over there knew her. She could start fresh, and would aim to convince the couple she was worth their time and money. She would show them her broad knowledge about horses and her ability to work hard. Lindsay was aware that depending on her own and having to organise everything on her own wouldn't be easy for someone who wasn't used to that. She was certain she was able to handle it though. She was strong and smart. What else did she need?

Releasing a tiny sigh, Lindsay got Ranger to stop. Once again they had been walking for several hours straight. She didn't want her horse to heat up too much. She had the wish to arrive at the Taylor's ranch as quickly as even possible, but only if this meant her horse felt still comfortable with it. She slid down from the saddle and stretched her arms over her head. As much as she enjoyed to ride and could spend hours on a horse back, it was exhausting and caused her back and legs to hurt after a while. She let her eyes wander back up the road they had come from. She was amazed by how far they had come but still felt like she was nowhere near her target. How many fields she had ridden through, how many forests she had passed, but still she hadn't reached her target. When people were talking about Montana being a large state, she had never imagined how large it really was. If Montana was that large, how big was their entire country? Lindsay didn't even dare to imagine.

"So, Ranger, are you thirsty? Or hungry?" she asked, like always when she was talking to the horse in a low, soft voice. A sudden breeze was tearing at the skirt of her long dress, lifting it up lightly, causing a cloud of dust to cover them. She coughed lightly, rubbing it out of her eyes. Lightly she ran her tongue over her lips, wincing lightly at the slight pain that came from the dry and broken skin. Although it was spring, it was already very warm and so the road was very dry, so was her mouth and her skin, exposed to the heat of the midday sun. Opening the saddle bag, she pulled a bowl and a bottle of water. She filled the bowl and walked over to Ranger.

"Here, that's for you," she said, offering the water to her horse. While Ranger drank, she watched him. Once again she was amazed by how much an animal could mean to a person. Sometimes she felt slightly embarrassed when she felt like he was the only one she could really talk to. Still the calm and warm eyes of Ranger gave her the feeling he listened and understood. While watching him though, her thoughts drifted away to what was awaiting her the moment she reached the Taylor's ranch. Of course she couldn't know about how the people on the farm would treat her, if they would like her or if she would like them. Something deep inside her was telling her she would soon find people who'd understand her as well as Ranger did.

"Are you fine again?" she asked him, gently running a hand through his warm fur. Mounting him again, she let her eyes wander down the road. Narrowing her eyes, she realised that now that dry fields, thick forests and tall mountains weren't everything she could see. Far in the distance she could make out a small, dark dot. Her heart started to beat faster in an instant. This had to be the ranch. This little dot suddenly had caught her entire attention. Nothing else around her mattered anymore. Her target wasn't just an imagination, only confirmed to be real by a letter she had gotten from the couple, anymore. It was real, right there in front of her.

"Only a few more hours and we might reach our target, Ranger," she said, a broad smile across her face. Another breeze hit her, warm yet refreshing, letting her lose curls dance in the wind. Closing her eyes, Lindsay took a deep breath. Once again she could smell it; the smell of freedom, refreshing her tired, exhausted body and mind. Opening them again, she focused her eyes on the small, dark dot; her target. Her entire body was tickling with anticipation when Ranger started to walk again. Only a few more hours and she would be one step closer to one of her biggest dreams.

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Hours turned into days and with the time Danny realised that staying awake all journey long wasn't possible. The old man's name was Randy. He had found this out after spending a lot of time with talking to him and distracting himself from all the passengers in the train and the steadily increasing smell of human bodies. Randy was still sitting across from him, with the same destination - the town called Hope. After a while keeping his eyes open had become more and more difficult for him, and Randy had watched him with amusement.

"Not easy to keep yourself awake, right, son?" he had asked, grinning. "Come on, young man. Close your eyes and allow yourself some rest. This old man here doesn't have to steal your stuff. He might even keep an eye on you."

Still Danny had tried to stay awake, but after a while he had to close his eyes. They were hurting and burning and he could barely keep himself on focusing or concentrating. Just for a moment he wanted to close his eyes. A second later his head was resting against the dusky window and he had fallen asleep, much to Randy's amusement.

"Told you you need some rest, son," he said, mostly to himself. Glaring at the man next to Danny, he added, "And you keep your hands to yourself. Old Randy won't let you steal the boy's money."

With the secure eyes of Old Randy taking care of him, Danny managed to sleep the last few hours until the train finally reached its target. He had been lucky; Hope, the town closest to the ranch, had its own train station. He didn't have any idea how to get to the farm, but at least people in town would know the best way to get there, he hoped. It was the forceful shaking that caused him to jerk awake. Blinking a few times, Danny tried to adjust to the sudden bright light coming in from the window. It had been night when he had fallen asleep, now it had to be almost midday. Confused he tried to find out who was shaking him. It took him another moment to realise the train also wasn't moving anymore.

"Wanna stay here and go on till you reach the ocean or something?" the familiar voice of Randy spoke to him. "Open your eyes, son. Your ranch is calling."

Still not fully awake, Danny shifted in his seat, groaning lightly. Sleeping in a hard seat in a train like this surely wasn't good for his back. Randy shook his head at him.

"Ain't I the old man of the two of us? Get your ass up and moving now," Randy told him in his always charming voice. "Won't let you go through the half country all on your own, even if I have to drag you out of this stinking train."

This was enough to make Danny move. Releasing another light groan, this time quiet enough so Old Randy couldn't hear him, he got up. Balancing his heavy bag, he followed the old man out of the train. With still shaky legs, he jumped down onto the dusky ground. While the doors of the large, old train closed with a hissing, squealing tone, he took in what was supposed to be Hope's train station. Train station in Danny's eyes really wasn't a fitting word for it, then again this wasn't New York and he couldn't expect the huge train stations he was used to. Apart from the railway, there wasn't anything else but an old, wooden bench next to a very small, wooden house. The house looked like it wasn't used at all and only was supposed to show the passengers where to wait for the arriving train. The house carried a large, wooden sign, 'Hope' written on it in big capital letters. The station seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, with nothing else but dusk and dry grass around. Setting his bag onto the ground, Danny ran his hands through his short hair. What now? There wasn't even a road anywhere near. But in the distance he could see houses; the town he assumed.

The view was impressive, he had to admit that much. The town was located in a valley surrounded by large fields. He could see the thick forest bordering those fields, reaching up to the impressive mountains. Danny had to admit he had never been in an area like this. He was used to the dusty, smelly city of New York. He was used to skyscrapers, slim streets filled with people. He wasn't used to mountains, forests and wheat fields. He wasn't even used to the refreshing, delicious smell he had discovered the moment he had left the hot, smelly inside of the train. It was something that made him feel very comfortable inside. He had been sure Montana would be entirely different from New York. That it would instantly have such a calming effect on him; this was surprising him.

"You wanna stand here all day?" Old Randy once again caught his attention. "Son, I don't know what you expect a ranch to look like, but this one here ain't one..."

Danny couldn't help but laugh at the comment, mixed with Randy's serious expression. "Will you show me how to get to the town then?"

Old Randy sighed. "Sure thing. Let's get going, son, or you won't arrive at your ranch till tonight."

It took Danny another few hours to find out how to get to the ranch. In town Old Randy had taken him to a bar and almost forced him to have a drink with him. Then he had talked to the bartender and had gotten him the information he needed. Now, after saying good bye to Randy and promising to meet him in Hope again, Danny was walking along another long, dry road that was supposed to lead him to the ranch. At first he had been unsure whether he should follow said path. Now he had finally spotted the large ranch. For the first time since he had left New York, he could feel his heart beating faster. So far he had been looking forward to his new life and new job. Still it had been some kind of dream. Now he had arrived, was in Montana and already amazed by the nature and beauty of the state. Still he didn't have any idea whether he'd be good for working on a farm or not. But he was determined to show them he was able to work hard and was worth it. He would do a great job, no matter how hard it was. He needed this second chance and this fresh start, to finally become the one he was.

Although Danny had never been in the country, only used to the large city of New York, he already knew he would love this new and so different life. Being a person who had never been alone, always surrounded by people, either of his family or friends, he had been afraid he might feel uncomfortable in the quiet of the country. Now he realised that 'quiet' didn't quite describe the area around him. He could hear birds singing in the trees he passed on his way. He could hear crickets chirping. Somewhere nearby there had to be a small creek; he could hear the sound of water finding its way through the fields. A light wind was blowing, rustling in the leaves of the trees, causing them to sway lightly. Everything was so peaceful yet exciting.

With every step Danny got closer to the ranch, he felt more excited. Now he already had a clear view at the beautiful house; it was made out of wood, new glass in the windows, covered with white, clean curtains. The area around the farm was clean; the owners obviously took a lot of care of their ranch. A large wagon was parked near the barn. Danny could make out a small creek, a small, wooden bridge crossing it. It was a peaceful and beautiful place and Danny was amazed by its appearance. The beauty of the ranch wasn't everything that caught Danny's attention though. In the middle of the large forecourt of the house, he discovered a person who must have just arrived as well. She had been riding a horse and just jumped out of the saddle. A smile was spread over her face. Gently she ran her hand through the mane of the horse, softly talking to it. She was dressed in a white blouse and a long, brown skirt. She had long, brown curls and a smile that seemed to be brighter than the midday sun. Instinctively he kept on walking until she noticed his appearance as well. She turned around to him, her beautiful smile widening.

"Hello," he greeted her. Despite himself, he realised he wasn't sure what exactly he was supposed to say to the young beauty in front of him. "You...uh...working here on the ranch?"

Still smiling that beautiful smile, she answered, "I start working here soon. I've just arrived. You're a new employee as well?"

"Yeah, how do you know?" Danny asked surprised.

"Because you don't look like you've just come here from a trip to the town," she replied, with a chuckle nodding towards his large bag. "I'm Lindsay by the way."

"Danny," he answered, offering his hand.

"Nice to meet you," Lindsay replied, shaking his hand. She still couldn't stop smiling. Who would have expected she wouldn't be the only one to arrive at the ranch as a new employee? She was exhausted and excited at the same time, overwhelmed by the beauty of the ranch she was going to live and work at from now on. Now she had met this man and although she wasn't sure why, something about him had caught her attention. He was a bit taller than her, having short, blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. He looked exhausted and tired, possibly had a long way until he arrived at the ranch. There was something in those bright blue eyes that made it hard for her to break the eye contact again or to even concentrate.

"Maybe we should go in there now," Danny suggested after they had been staring at each other for several minutes. Lindsay nodded. But before they could head to the entrance of the large house, the door was opened and a couple stepped out onto the yard.

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**Please review, we'd really love to know what you thought. And we'll update again soon! Rose and Brina x**


	4. Coming Home

**Authors' Note: Thank you for alerts and favourites, and a special thank you to **_**afrozenheart412, cmaddict, Forest Angel, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hylen, Smacked Hard, Mellow Girl **_**and**_** California Italian**_** for reviewing chapter 3. We hope you like this chapter too and please let us know what you think :D**

**Also, check out our individual stories; 'Old West', 'Golden Years of Love' and 'Somewhere Out There' have been updated recently! Enjoy :D**

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****Chapter 4: Coming Home**

Since the day Mac and Stella had decided to buy the ranch that was to be their new home and life, their fresh start after leaving everything that connected them to their past, behind, they had been aware that they would need helping hands to keep the ranch running. Neither of them had been sure about how to decide who would be a good addition for their farm. There had been close to a hundred applications in response to their advertisement. The couple had spent hours reading every single one of them, both of them hoping they would make the right decision.

Mr Danny Messer and Miss Lindsay Monroe had been the two people that had caught their attention the most. Not because they had any special qualities the others didn't have. Instead it had more to do with the way said applications had been written. Although written words couldn't give them a glimpse at who those persons really were, neither Mac nor Stella could deny that every one of those words had revealed how much those two people wanted the jobs. It hadn't taken them more than an exchanged look, a few spoken words and they had decided that those two were going to get the letters all of the applicants were longing for.

Now, weeks later, the day had come that Mac and Stella had been waiting for. The ranch was prepared and willing to welcome the new arrivals. Lindsay's room was ready for occupancy and lovingly decorated by Stella. The room in the small house not far away from the large main house was ready for Danny to move in. All that was missing now were the new employees themselves. The new employees that had just arrived.

Walking close to Mac, her arm through his, Stella stepped onto the forecourt. As she had guessed correctly, a young woman had arrived with her horse. She was now standing next to a young man, who was carrying a large, old bag, the fabric already torn at one side, its contents close to falling out of it. Both arrivals were glancing at them with a mix of excitement and nervousness in their eyes. Stella, very excited herself at this point, used the chance to take their new employees' appearance in. As soon as she had seen Lindsay's letter, an image of the young woman had immediately started to create in her mind.

Back then she had seen exactly what she was facing now in reality; a petite woman with warm, brown eyes, so friendly and gentle it instantly made one feel comfortable around her. Despite her exhaustion and her nervousness, she was smiling a bright and open smile. One glance was enough for Stella to know her decision to employ her had been right; she already liked her. Her eyes travelled over to Danny and a knowing smile lit her face. Clearly she could remember the conversation she had shared with her husband when they had discussed his application. Although he looked as exhausted and worn out as his new colleague, there were still sparkles in his blue eyes, revealing the passionate and strong willed character inside. Stella could see that the journey from the large city had been long and burdensome, but nothing had been too hard for him to reach his target. If he was that determined when it came to work, they wouldn't have any problems with him, so much she could already tell.

"Welcome!" Mac greeted the two newest parts of their family; this was at least the way Stella was seeing them. For her, the step to leave their old home which she hadn't been able to call home anymore, and their past behind, had been important for her as an individual and for them as a newly married couple. On the search for a new home and a new family, they had arrived at this wonderful place in Montana. Those two young people in front of her had just arrived at this new home and Stella was eager to welcome them as part of their steadily growing family. A family that she hoped would continue to grow before much longer.

"Mr Messer, Miss Monroe," Mac continued. "I'm Mac Taylor and this here is my dear wife, Stella."

"Nice to meet you, Mr and Mrs Taylor," Lindsay replied, shaking the offered hands. A slightly shy smile lit her face and she blushed lightly.

"Yes, very nice to meet you," Danny answered, also shaking the couple's hands. Even in his eyes, Stella could see a certain shyness and nervousness. She could fully understand their reactions. When she and Mac had first arrived at their ranch, she had felt exactly the same way. Both of them had had a plan of what they wanted, of where they wanted to go from there, neither of them had been able to foresee what the future would bring. She could only imagine that their new employees didn't feel any different; they knew they wanted to start their new jobs on the ranch, they couldn't be sure how those jobs and their new lives would turn out.

"Hopefully you had a nice journey," Mac continued while he and Danny helped Lindsay to unload her belongings from the back of her horse.

"It was long and hard, but still very nice," Lindsay answered, still with that smile on her lips that Stella had already started to love after only watching the young woman for a couple of minutes.

"But now we're finally here," Danny added to complete her answer.

"Then I think it's time to go inside and allow you a few moments to rest before Mac and I will show you around I'd say," Stella suggested. "How does that sound?"

"That would be wonderful," Lindsay replied, her bright smile even widening. Danny nodded in agreement.

"Great." Mac agreed. Briefly he glanced at his wife, giving her a nod and a smile that told her he was thinking the same way as her once again; he was very happy with their new arrivals. "While I take care of your horse, you two might already follow my wife inside and have a rest. We've still a lot planned for today."

Danny and Lindsay nodded. When their full attention was turned back to Stella, she gave them an encouraging and warm smile. "Then let's go inside," she told them.

With that the two new employees followed their new boss to the large main house. While Mac led the horse over to the barn, Stella used the moment to let her eyes glide over what was their own. and what they would now share with Danny and Lindsay. Her smile widened and she released a soft sigh of satisfaction. This was their home, their family, their new life. With every step she walked, Stella's heart was beating faster with excitement and happiness. This was what she and Mac had been dreaming about. Still neither of them knew for sure what the future would bring, but she was anxious to see what it was holding for them.

* * *

Half an hour later, and Mac had made sure that Lindsay's horse was safely and comfortably stabled, alongside their own two horses. Now they were all sitting round the big kitchen table in the warmth of the range. It was late April, but there was still a winter chill once dusk had fallen. There had been silence for a little while as all four ate the thick vegetable soup that Stella had made that morning, as part of her preparations for the arrival of their new employees. As they all ate, Mac exchanged quick glances with her, noting with gentle amusement how she made sure the two new arrivals had their bowls filled continuously, as well as keeping their plates piled with thick slices of bread and butter. Danny had already gulped down four bowlfuls of soup, and Mac had lost count of the number of slices of bread he had eaten. Which, he could see, was much to Stella's pleasure - as fast as he emptied his bowl, she ladled more in. Lindsay ate more slowly, but with no less enjoyment. As he smiled at them, Mac suddenly realised that he had not even finished his first bowl, and as he thought that, he felt Stella's eyes on him.

"You all right, Mac? Not hungry?" There was a trace of anxiety in her voice, and he hastened to reassure her.

"I'm plenty hungry, Stell. Got distracted with enjoying the good appetites these young folks have."

"It's a great thing to see." She smiled at them both, as Lindsay's cheeks flushed, and Danny pushed his spectacles back on his nose as his soup spoon clattered into his bowl.

"Sorry, Mr Taylor, Mrs Taylor, got a little carried away with eatin' there, hope you don't think me rude..."

"Not at all!" Mac suddenly worried he had said the wrong thing; the last thing he wanted to do was embarrass his new employees, or spoil their appetites. He would never hear the end of it from Stella if that was the case. "No, no, you go right ahead and carry on eating. Pleasure to see a good and hearty appetite in a young man. Nothing wrong at all in enjoying what's set on your plate. That's what it's there for, to be eaten. No good sitting there just looking at it and admiring it!"

"Absolutely not." Stella turned to him, almost brandishing the soup ladle in front of his nose, "Which is a piece of advice you'd do well to be taking yourself, Mac! Mr Messer here's setting a fine example, clearing his plate and bowl, Miss Monroe too. I didn't make this soup for nothing. You get eating it! You need it after all the work you've been doing today."

Mac raised his eyebrows at her, "And you're going to take the same advice yourself? I noted _you_ weren't so fast at filling your own bowl up..."

"That's 'cause you've been too busy watching what other folks are eating and not eating yourself!" She looked triumphant, "Besides, I've eaten two bowls to your one, so there."

Mac looked at her with amusement and exasperation, shaking his head at her expression. Then he realised that their light-hearted discussion might be the cause of bemusement to their new arrivals and he turned to them, and cleared his throat, aware that Stella was still watching him with laughter in her eyes.

"You'll pardon us our discussions now and again, I hope, Miss Monroe and Mr Messer..."

Both of them nodded and smiled quickly, and Mac gave a quick glance to his side at Stella.

She gave him a reassuring smile, and added, "The truth of the matter is, Mac and me enjoy a little teasing of each other now and again, but pardon us for being so rude in bringing it out on your first evening with us."

"Oh please don't apologise, Mrs Taylor!" Lindsay said, "You weren't being rude at all..." She looked suddenly pink-cheeked, "Pardon me for speaking out maybe too boldly, but I'm happy you are treating us this way, and feeling that you can be yourselves... I hope that don't seem rude for me to say that."

Stella smiled warmly, and Mac felt relieved when she spoke again. "Not at all, Miss Monroe... And, on the matter of being forward, may I be a little forward myself in making a request?" she glanced again at Mac, who had an intuition as to what she was going to ask, and gave her a slight nod. She flashed him a glance from her eyes before looking at both Danny and Lindsay with her eyebrows raised.

Lindsay nodded, "By all means. Please, what was your request?"

Danny, swallowing a mouthful of bread quickly, also nodded, "Go right ahead, Mrs Taylor."

Stella clasped her hands together and rested them on the table, before looking again at Mac quickly. She was nervous, he knew, but plunged on with what she wanted to say.

"Well now, it strikes me that as we're going to be living and working together, we need to establish what we're all going to call each other... Been noticing we're all being mighty formal with each other round the dinner table, don't you think so, Mac?"

"Yes Mrs Taylor." He gave her a wink, and she hit him lightly on the arm.

"Mac! But you've got a real good point there. See, I'm not so used yet to being known as 'Mrs Taylor'... Not that I'm not happy to be so." She added hastily, and Mac grinned at her, and gave her hand a squeeze.

"I know exactly what you mean, Stell. Don't you worry."

She gave him a quick smile of thanks, "What I'm taking a long time to be saying, is that calling us Mr and Mrs Taylor seems to me to be more formal than necessary. Guess it might be the most suitable thing for you to be using our Christian names, and for us to be doing the same for you. What do you say? Will you be happy to address us as Mac and Stella, rather than Mr and Mrs Taylor?"

"I'm in full agreement with Stella." Mac added his support.

Lindsay laid her soup spoon down carefully and looked between him and Stella, her eyes serious as she seemed to be judging the situation. Then her face broke into a smile.

"I'd be delighted for you to call me Lindsay! Miss Monroe's not something I'm used to neither - never been called that before in truth, so I'd be much happier for you to call me Lindsay. As long as you're willing to do that, Mrs Tay... Stella."

Stella beamed and pressed her hands together, "Well that's wonderful! What do you say, Mr Messer? Or is it to be Danny?"

He nodded rapidly, "Danny, certainly. Ain't used to 'Mr Messer' at all. Danny suits me fine. Much rather be called that than anything else."

"Danny it is then." Mac said with a smile at the young man, "Guess we're pleased to have that all sorted out. Now we know what to call each other, we can start getting to know one another. As we're all going to be living together pretty close, it's a fine start to be friendly with names."

"They're wise words, Mr Taylor.. Mac." Danny agreed, finishing up the last spoonful of soup in his bowl. Stella, Mac noted with a grin to himself, automatically moved to re-fill the bowl, and at that point, even Danny hesitated a moment.

Mac laid a gentle hand on her arm, "I think maybe Danny's had his fill."

"You sure? Young men need plenty of food. Same as slightly older men, huh, Mac?"

"Even so, think we've probably all eaten our fill for tonight."

His wife looked disappointed, and he spoke again to ease that, "Don't you worry. We've all eaten plenty, and will be ready to eat plenty more of your wonderful cooking tomorrow."

"Guess I'm looking forward to tomorrow already!" Danny piped up, "Can't remember when I last enjoyed a meal so much as this."

"It really was good." Lindsay spoke up eagerly, "Really _very_ good indeed, Stella. Almost as good as my Ma's home cooking."

"Thank you, Lindsay! I take that as a wonderful compliment!" Stella's face glowed with happiness, and it filled Mac's heart with the same.

He looked at the scene in front of him then as he sat at the head of the table, with his wife at his side, and the two new additions to their family sitting opposite her. It was a scene he would hardly have been able to imagine just a few short months ago, before they had arrived in Montana. And he could hardly believe that it was such a short time ago that he and Stella had been in New York, planning how to escape the trouble that had threatened their happiness and even their very lives.

He had almost drifted away into a daydream, when the warmth of Stella's hand on his stirred him.

"Everything okay, Mac?"

He placed his hand on hers and with a smile as he looked round once more at the people that surrounded him, he answered her with the utmost conviction.

"Everything's perfect, Stella. Just perfect."

* * *

When Lindsay entered the room that was supposed to be hers from now on, it was already late, getting close to midnight. For hours she had been sitting in the cosy kitchen together with Mac, Stella and Danny. Lindsay couldn't deny she had felt slightly shy at first. She was used to being around her family and their friends; people she had known for years already. Now she had arrived at a place where she had never been before and was living and working together with people she didn't know. Her first instinct had been to feel shy and hesitant. This had quickly changed when she had realised how friendly and welcoming the Taylors were. They seemed to see her and Danny as part of their family and, despite what employers usually did, had offered them to call them by their Christian names already. Even if she had wanted to, Lindsay couldn't stay shy and hesitant anymore. This heart-warming welcome had blown all doubts and fears away. Lindsay would even go so far and admit she already felt like she was home after only a couple of hours.

With a light smile on her face, Lindsay took her bedroom in. She could imagine how Stella had been decorating it for her, paying attention to every lovely detail. The room seemed to be like a welcome gift from the couple; everything seemed to whisper 'Welcome home'. She stepped over to the window, covered with bright, yellow curtains. She opened it and closed her eyes at the soft breeze that greeted her. There it was again, this unique smell she loved so much. Freedom. The realisation of the fact that she had made that huge step and was now about to start her own independent life caused her to shiver with anticipation. Of course her new job required a lot of responsibility and, like back home, there were rules she had to follow. Still this didn't change that she was feeling free.

Opening her eyes again, Lindsay noticed a person walking across the forecourt over to the other small house that belonged to the ranch. Danny was just on his way to his own home. Lindsay watched him with a soft smile. Although she barely knew anything about him, she already liked the young man from the city. She could imagine him as a passionate, independent man who easily could get himself into trouble with his free mind. Those sparkling eyes, the smile that lit his face from time to time and the emotions in his voice revealed there was a lot going on inside him and this was something Lindsay liked a lot. She was certain the two of them would get along very well.

After Danny had entered the small house, Lindsay turned her attention to what else she could see in the dark of the night. The stars above and the full, pale moon were spending some light. She could make out the little creek, glistering in the pale moonlight. In the distance the tall mountains and high trees were standing out against the dark sky. When she had decided to move, she had been afraid she could regret it somewhere along the line or at least feel homesick. Instead Lindsay felt a wonderful warmth rising inside her, causing her smile to widen. This was her new home she could see there in front of her. Finally she got the chance to prove what she was capable of.

Taking another deep breath of the fresh air, Lindsay closed the window. Briefly she let her eyes wander through the room again. The long and exhausting journey obviously hadn't been enough to tire her. She walked over to the bed with the beautiful rainbow coloured blanket. For a moment she hesitated, then she just let herself fall down onto it. Spread across it, she stared towards the wooden ceiling and released a sigh, coming from deep inside her. She wasn't sure when she had felt comfortable like this for the last time.

It was a soft knocking on her door that caused Lindsay to sit up straight again, almost like she had been caught by doing something forbidden. For a moment she stared at the door before she actually realised someone was standing out there, wanting to be let in.

"Oh, uh...come in," she answered then. The door was opened and Stella peeked into the room, greeting Lindsay with her warm smile again.

"May I come in?" she asked.

"Of course!" Lindsay answered, sitting a bit more straight. She just couldn't help this reaction. Even though she felt home and welcome, she couldn't hide the way she had been raised; always be polite, sit straight and make eye contact.

"Thank you." Stella entered the room and closed the door behind her again. She nodded towards the bed. "Would you mind if I joined you?"

"Of course not." Lindsay moved closer to the bottom of her bed. Stella sat down next to her, still smiling at her. Both women were silent for a moment. Lindsay felt both of them wanted to speak, neither of them knew how to start though. They barely knew each other but were now going to live and work together every day.

"It's an exciting situation, isn't it?" Stella broke the silence, speaking out about what both of them had been thinking. "So new, so different. For _all_ of us."

"Oh, definitely," Lindsay agreed, releasing the breath she had been holding. "I was so nervous all the time on my way here, not knowing what was awaiting me, not knowing what you and Mr... er, Mac were expecting. I've been really looking forward to this chance, ever since I receive this wonderful letter of yours and all the time I was hoping you wouldn't be disappointed by me the moment I arrived here and also I had no idea how I would feel myself when I'd be so far away from home for the first time and then to start something completely new." Before Lindsay could stop herself, she blurted out all the thoughts that had been running through her mind since the moment she had mounted Ranger back home for her long journey. She blushed bright red and lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry, Stella, I shouldn't have..."

"No, don't apologise, Lindsay," Stella interrupted her softly. Carefully she reached out and rested one of her hands on Lindsay's that were resting in her lap. The gentle gesture caused Lindsay to look up again, finding Stella smiling at her with so much warmth that she instantly forgot her former embarrassment . "I can understand you've been excited. Oh, just go and ask Mac about how I've been acting during the last few days! Believe me, the two of us have been as excited as you and Danny. How many times I've been standing in this room, wondering if everything was good enough to welcome you, and same I've been doing over there at Danny's. Ask Mac how nervous I've been; for sure he's had a funny time with me!"

Lindsay chuckled at the image of Stella running around nervously while being watched by an amused Mac. "I think regarding being welcoming to us I can relieve you. I couldn't think of a friendlier way to be greeted. Immediately I felt like I'd just arrived at home." Once again Lindsay blushed at her own honesty, but the bright smile Stella gave her in response made her believe that this feature of hers actually wasn't bad at all.

"That's so wonderful to hear," Stella replied, gently squeezing Lindsay's hand which she was still holding. "And I want you to know that of course you might be excited about what's awaiting you, but don't be nervous because of what Mac and I are thinking. You and Danny are exactly what we've been hoping for and we're happy to have you here with us."

Lindsay smiled relieved. "Thank you."

The two women continued chatting for a while until Stella decided to leave again. At this point every bit of nervousness that Lindsay might have been feeling before had been wiped away by the loving words of her. She was an honest woman; a part of her character that she actually liked but that had gotten her into trouble with other people before. It was possibly one reason why she liked Danny already; she couldn't help the feeling he was quite similar to her when it came to this point. Here her honesty seemed to be welcome, just like herself. And while she lay down in her new bed and cuddled into her blanket, a smile lit her face once again when she thought about the fact that from now on the Taylors' ranch was her new home.

* * *

**Please review, we'd really love to know what you thought. And we'll update again soon! Rose and Brina x**


	5. Looking Forward

**Author's note: Huge thanks for all the lovely reviews, for reading this story and for all the alerts! Special thanks to **_**cmaddict, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, saturn567, Mellow girl, Hylen, afrozenheart412, SMacked Hard and Forest Angel**_**! Pleas also check out our other stories under our pen names lily moonlight and brinchen86!**

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* * *

****Chapter 5: Looking Forward  
**  
The next morning Danny was woken up so early that he felt like it was still the middle of the night. Of course he was aware of the fact that a lot would change now that he was living and working on a farm. Still he needed to get used to that, and he knew that it would take him some time to do so. Groaning lightly, he sat up in bed. Yawning, he rubbed his eyes, squinting. His blurry view without his glasses, mixed with the half darkness of the room, immediately caused him to feel dizzy. Reaching out blindly, he found his glasses lying on the small bedside table, almost knocking the candle down when he did so. Gazing through those glasses now, he felt better.

Stretching and yawning again, he used the moment to take the room in that was supposed to be his bedroom from now on. It was a middle sized room with squealing planks and clean, white walls. His bed, big, with a thick, wooden frame and a warm cover, was standing in the right corner of the room, right across the door. Next to it he had a small bedside table with a candle. On the wall across of the one his bed was resting against, he found the window, covered with thick, dark curtains that were blocking every sun ray from finding its way into the room. Next to his bedside table, he found commode with a jug and bowl for washing. Danny already loved the room; it was definitely more beautiful than the one he had had in New York and despite himself, he already felt home.

Usually it took Danny a while to trust in people; he was very careful when he met strangers. Mostly this was an instinct, learnt over all the years he had to deal with his family and their criminal friends. Never he could be sure whether a person he met had good intentions or not. This insecurity had taught him to be careful and examine the persons he met closely before he made a step into their direction. Now with the Taylors and Lindsay, it was different. Usually there was this voice deep inside his mind, warning him whenever he got too close to someone he didn't know. So far this voice hadn't caught his attention. Instead he had started to feel at home already even after only a couple of hours being at the ranch. The conversations he had shared with those three though had instantly revealed that there was a special connection between them already, which amazed Danny. He was clearly enjoying it though; finding home had been one of the reasons why he had decided to move. He needed a fresh start and currently it seemed like this was the perfect place for that plan.

Slowly, Danny got up and headed to the window. With a quick motion he pulled the curtains away, instantly being blinded by the already bright light, despite how early it still was. He opened the window and was greeted by a fresh, cool breeze. Closing his eyes, Danny took a deep breath and sighed lightly. The fresh, clean air was another reason that was so different to the city. It was a mixed smell of wet earth, spring flowers, trees and the unique smell of hay and animals that was so much part of living on a farm. When he opened his eyes again, a smile lit his face. The view was impressive. From his window he had a free view at a large wheat field with the mountains in the distance, so far still hidden by the thick morning fog.

He could also see the main house. One of the windows he could see opened already. His smile widened. Obviously Lindsay was awake as well. Possibly the young woman was already as excited as him right now. She was a sweet person, so much he could tell already. Lindsay seemed to be honest and friendly. She had a smile that had already caught Danny's attention. It was bright like the sun and so warm it didn't fail to make him happy. There was nothing that could reveal she wasn't honest or only thinking about her own advantage; something he liked a lot. He knew already he would like to work and live together with her.

A knocking at the door interrupted Danny in his thoughts. Quickly he headed over to the door of his room to let his visitor in. He wasn't surprised to find Mac, who was smiling at him.

"Good morning, Danny, I see you're already awake," Mac greeted him friendly.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, I...uh...well, I think it's part of living on a farm. Getting up early I mean," Danny answered. He couldn't prevent himself from blushing lightly, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, he still needed to get used to the fact that he had a boss now but that this boss saw him as part of his family and whom he could address with his Christian name. Also everything was so new and so different for him. And to top that he was standing there in front of said boss with nothing on but his pants he always wore for sleeping. Oh poor Danny!

"Great," Mac replied. "Well, I came here because I thought I might show you around the farm whilst my dear wife finishes breakfast for all of us. Just get dressed and meet me outside."

Danny nodded eagerly. "I'll hurry, Mr Taylor...uh, Mac. Give me five minutes and I'll meet you outside."

Mac laughed. "Fine then." With that Mac left again and Danny quickly rushed over to his bag to search for clothes to get dressed.

As promised, Danny stepped out of the house a few moments later, washed and dressed and ready for what Mac had planned for him. Mac nodded satisfied.

"That was indeed very fast I have to say. If my new employee is that fast with his work as well, I might be very happy about that," he announced, winking at Danny.

"Oh, I will be. Will try my best to be as fast as possible. And still good of course," he promised, trying to prevent his face from reddening again.

"Great." Mac smiled at him before he got serious again. "Alright then, Danny. Not let me show you around and explain to you what I need to for. Like you possibly already noticed, this here, your new home, is the guesthouse of the ranch. Stella and I are planning to rent it to visitors one day, we're not sure when exactly this will be though, so you have it all by yourself for now. Mostly I will need you for every kind of outdoor work, like building and taking care of the fences for example, and the farm buildings we need to take care of as well. And of course there are the animals. There will be a lot of work to do in the barn and the fields. I'll need you to do all of that, and it will be hard work."

Mac went on with his explanations and while he did so, Danny listened to him closely. He had expected that working on a ranch, which was so entirely different to everything he had done before, wasn't going to be an easy ride. Finding out what Mac expected from him now made him realise that a lot was awaiting him; hard bodily work. But he couldn't deny he was eagerly waiting to prove that he was capable of such kind of work. He might have grown up in the city and possibly had no idea how it felt like to live on a ranch. He was willing to learn though, and together with Lindsay, who was coming from a farm but also new to the duties on the Taylor's ranch, he was convinced he would be able to prove his skills. The couple wouldn't have to complain about them, so much he knew already.

* * *

Across the yard from the bunkhouse where Danny was living, Lindsay woke as the sun was sending warm ribbons of light into her room. Its light was beaming through the soft yellow curtains, and filling the room with a glow of colour. She woke with a smile, instantly remembering all that had happened the day before; the arrival at the ranch; the loving welcome from Mac and Stella; dinner together with her new family; and Danny. At the thought of the young man, the smile on her face became wider and she felt a tiny flutter inside, knowing that it would not be long before she saw him again.

Judging the by light, Lindsay guessed it was not long after dawn, probably no later than six o'clock in the morning. Early mornings were for her a special time of day. Back home, she had always enjoyed being the first one to be out of bed and up and about. It was the time when she could have the time and the day all to herself, to enjoy the freedom of precious moments to herself. Often, when the weather permitted, she would go out to Ranger's stable, take a canteen of water with her to share with him, and go for a ride in a world that was vast and empty. Those times when she rode through meadows and paths pearled with dew drops, it felt almost as if she was the only person in the world. It was an idea that filled her with terror, but at the same time, gave her a feeling of exhilaration. Lindsay wondered now if she would still be able to enjoy her solitary morning rides; maybe she could ask Stella about it.

But new adventures and new experiences were awaiting her, and she could not stop a grin of excitement spreading across her face as she swung her legs out of bed and pattered across the wooden floor to the wash stand. The water in the jug, fresh from the well the night before, was as cold as a mountain spring, and she gasped at the first shock of it. But it immediately gave her a feeling of joy, and she scrubbed her face dry on the little cloth that hung on a peg on the wall. As she hug it back up, she reflected on all the little details and care that had been put into her room by Stella, and by Mac as well she guessed. It was a room that had been furnished simply and practically, with all the things a young woman would need, but with extra little touches, such as a tiny vase of flowers on the windowsill, and a rag rug on the floor. That she would be grateful of she knew, when the winter winds came howling down from the mountains, breathing frozen chills through the wooden walls of the farmhouse. That spring morning, when the sun was shining and the meadows and grassland she could see through her window invited her with their fresh colour and scent of new life and adventure, winter seemed a long way off.

Lindsay was a practical thinker also, and as much as she liked to let her heart and her imagination roam wild, she knew that she had a solid base of thought. She was well aware that this new job on the Taylors' ranch would be hard work, and she would not have as much time to herself as she had enjoyed in some ways at home. Days would be taken up in keeping the farm and home; keeping the men fed; keeping the animals fed; keeping the household running. It was a big ranch, with a lot of land, and she knew she would be kept busy all day, and some nights too. However, that was not something that frightened her. She was a hard worker, and was looking forward to testing her strength, both physically and emotionally. What would make the difference, she knew, was being with people who all wanted the same dream - a new life and happiness. The American dream.

A solemn look came over Lindsay's face as she considered the present, and began to look to the future. Looking around her with half-closed eyes, her mind slipped into dreams of times ahead. The Taylors had achieved a dream, she guessed, with the ownership of the ranch, and the joining of their lives together in marriage. One day, if she dared to think it to herself, Lindsay knew she wanted something very similar. She wanted a home and a family. As she thought that, almost involuntarily, her gaze drifted out of the window and towards the bunkhouse where she knew Danny was. Shaking herself slightly, she came back to the present and gave a small laugh to herself. But the image of Danny would not leave her mind, even as she dressed and arranged her hair carefully into a practical style on top of her head. As she drove in the hairpins to keep the waves of honey-brown hair in place, she could see in her mind's eye, his blue eyes and his smile from the first moment of their meeting. Her hand stilled as she let her mind wander again briefly. This was a new start for all of them, maybe there things ahead she could only dream of. But then reality was built on dreams. A few dreams would do no harm.

Finishing dressing in haste, Lindsay smoothed her skirts down, patted a few stray hairs into place and then pulled her bedroom door open, eager to start the day. She clattered down the first few steps of the wooden staircase, and then slowed her steps, suddenly aware that she was a grown woman and that rushing around could be seen as unseemly behaviour. Walking lightly down the last few steps, she still could not resist a small jump from the bottom stair, after checking carefully that no one was in sight. The farmhouse was quiet, and she tiptoed into the kitchen, to find Stella bent over the fire, poking pieces of sticks into it, trying to encourage a small flame.

"Can I help you with that?" Lindsay asked.

"Oh!"

Stella jumped, and Lindsay made a quick apology.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you..."

"Don't worry." She smiled, "And yes, by all means, if you can help me get this stubborn fire going, then I'll be extremely grateful to you! Can't have cooking without a fire, and the men are going to be here soon wanting food! I got bread to make too, and all kinds of things to be making ready. As you'll know, and as we've been told, it might be a day of sunshine out there, but this weather could turn in a minute, and we could be facing a blizzard."

Lindsay's face became serious as she nodded. Living in Montana all her life, she knew just how hazardous the weather could be. Winters were long, cruel and hard, and if you did not take them seriously and respect the landscape and climate, you would not survive. She admired Mac and Stella for taking and acting upon advice, as they obviously had.

As she crossed the kitchen towards the hearth, she glanced out of the window and caught a glimpse of Mac and Danny crossing the yard, deep in conversation. It looked as if they were heading towards the paddock on the far side of the farmhouse. A smile appeared on her face, and she turned to Stella, who, she realised was watching her with a look of interest.

"I see Mr Taylor... Mac, I mean and Danny are out there..." She said hastily, trying to cover her embarrassment.

"They are indeed; Mac's showing Danny round the land we got, and telling him some of the work he's expecting of him. Guess I hope it's not going to be too much of a shock for him. He won't be used to the kind of life we'll lead here. I know this is a life you were born and raised to, so I got no concerns that you'll do anything but a fine job." Stella continued, and this time Lindsay failed to hide her embarrassment as she felt her cheeks blush at the praise she was being given.

"Thank you, er, Stella. That's real nice of you to say. I hope I can do your confidence in my abilities justice."

"I know you will." Was the warm reply, and Lindsay felt her confidence swell as she bent down next to Stella and studied the fire that she was trying to coax into life.

She saw the problem immediately, "You ain't left enough space for the air to blow through and get the flames going. Here..."  
Suiting her actions to her word, she poked the pieces of coal and wood about and left gaps. Then taking the bellows, she blew air into the fire, and soon had a bright flame roaring and heat spreading through the kitchen. Stella was delighted, and soon they had the breakfast cooking whilst they began the preparation of the rest of the day's meals.

As they worked, Stella told her about the duties she would be expected to do; as she talked, Lindsay could see the enthusiasm in her eyes, and it filled her with the same. As Stella planned ahead for the future of the farm and their family, Lindsay felt her heart swell with pride that Stella, a woman who she already was admiring greatly, was asking for her opinon and advice on matters. She was delighted to be able to tell Stella about how her family had run things on their farm, and to have Stella listen and take what she said seriously. That had not always been the case in the past, and it made her feel a little taller and prouder that her knowledge was valued here. She was already looking forward to the future. Her responsibilities would include caring for the horses, with Stella asking about her knowledge of the animals and wanting to use it. Also, she would assist Stella in the running of the household and all the day to day duties that came with that, such as cooking, cleaning, making butter and cheese in the dairy, preserving food to see them through the winter, and taking care of the mending and making of clothes. Stella herself would do all those duties as well, and she also told Lindsay excitedly about the garden she planned to create, with vegetables and herbs. She and Mac had also plans to raise chickens, that would produce eggs they could both use in their cooking and sell for a small income.

As they both talked and shared ideas, the time passed quickly, and there was soon a clatter of boots at the door as Mac and Danny came into the kitchen. Both men had smiles on their faces, which increased as they saw the breakfast laid out on the table. Mac was greeted with a kiss by his wife which brought a smile to his eyes, and they sat down in the same places they had last night. Danny gave Lindsay a quick grin, which she returned, and then dropped her eyes; confused suddenly by the feeling of fluttering inside her as his eyes had met hers.  
Breakfast then continued in a comfortable quiet, with only a few words between them as everyone enjoyed the good food. Danny tucked in, and Lindsay grinned to herself as he took another rasher of bacon onto his plate. Stella looked pleased as he did so, and checked to see that everyone's plate was full, especially Mac's.

When they had finished eating and the plates were in the big stone sink ready for cleaning, Mac turned to his wife and with his eyebrows raised asked her, "What do you think about an excursion into town tomorrow, Stella? I think we need to show Danny and Lindsay around, introduce them to folks, and pick up a few more supplies. Don't you agree?"

"It's a wonderful idea, Mac." She beamed, "Tomorrow will be just perfect. I can pick up my order from the Angells' store, and we can make a little outing of it. It'll give us the chance to meet with Mr Hammerback too, ask his opinion about our livestock, and we can see if we can buy some chickens. The hen house is all ready and waiting for them."

Mac nodded, "I was showing Danny what we've set up in there in the way of keeping it warm."

"It all looks real clever, can't believe you came up with such a fine idea." Danny spoke up.

"I'll take you over this afternoon and show you too, Lindsay." Stella offered as she rose from the table with the last of the plates and cutlery.

"That would be wonderful, thank you." She replied, and jumped up to help.

"Well, we'll leave you ladies to your work, and we'll carry on with ours." Mac said as he stretched and pushed his chair back. Danny gulped down a last mouthful of coffee from his mug, and followed. Not before giving Lindsay a quick wink and a smile as he rushed out of the kitchen. As she turned round, she saw Stella watching her with an amused expression.

"I'd say that you and Danny have certainly made quite an impression on each other."

Flashing Lindsay a smile, she breezed out of the kitchen leaving her with a face blushing pink, and looking forward tremendously to their outing tomorrow.

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**Please tell us what you think, reviews are very appreciated! Rose and Brina x**


	6. New Friends

**Authors' Note: Thank you for alerts and favourites, and a special thank you to **_**afrozenheart412, cmaddict, Forest Angel, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hylen, Smacked Hard, Mellow Girl, Sucker-4-smacked, saturn567, Moska **_**and**_** csi-ncis**_** for reviewing chapter 5. Special thanks also to _Moska_ for providing us with useful and interesting information about the time period! It's much appreciated. **

**We hope you like this chapter too and let us know what you think please :D**

**Also, check out our individual stories; 'Old West', 'Golden Years of Love' and 'Somewhere Out There' have been updated recently! Enjoy :D**

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**Chapter 6: New Friends**

As expected, after the cold, rainy morning the day quickly turned into a warm, sunny spring day. The sun was shining down at on the wagon that was driving its way along the small, rocky and dusty road that led from the Taylor's farm to Hope, the nearest town. Like usual a soft breeze was blowing, causing the long, soft grass to sway. The warm air was filled with all those different smells that were so unique to the countryside. It was a perfect morning; perfect for a trip to the town.

Amused, Mac noticed how Stella glanced over her shoulder once again. He loved to watch his wife, secretly of course, because she didn't like it when he did so. She looked beautiful in her soft, white cotton dress and with that curly hair, looking almost golden in the bright sunlight. He loved even more the expression on her face; a mixture of of excitement and nervousness

"Mind if I ask you what you're looking for all the time?" he asked. Snapping out of whatever thoughts she had been in, Stella turned around to her husband, blushing lightly while pressing an index finger against her lips to signal him to be quiet.

"I've just been checking if they're alright," she whispered back, shooting another glance over her shoulder. Danny and Lindsay were sitting in the back of the wagon on the loading space, resting against the back of their seats.

"Why shouldn't they be?" Mac whispered back. He tried to hide his amusement; one thing he loved about Stella was how much she cared about everything and anything. He remembered clearly' how excited his wife had been when it had been set in stone that those two would start work on their farm and would arrive soon. So many times she had asked him if he thought they would enjoy living on their farm, and so many times he had told her they would be just fine. Now their two employees had arrived and seemed to feel well indeed and still she was worried if really everything was good enough for them.

"I'm not sure. I guess they're excited and nervous because everything is still so new for them. I remember how we went to town for the first time and how nervous I was," she explained.

Mac nodded. "And you were alright, Stell. They will be as well. They're very welcome here and I'm sure they know that. So don't you worry they're not alright, because I'm certain they are."

As always when she listened to Mac's reassuring words, Stella smiled at him. "I know you're right," she answered then.

Meanwhile Danny and Lindsay were sitting on the loading space, both of them silent. For a while, Danny had tried to focus his attention on the beauty of the landscape surrounding them. He was still amazed by what he could see. But now he could barely keep his eyes open, with the long journey and the lack of sleep affecting him. Still he had to take his surroundings in, and it filled him with joy at the thought that this was home now. He had been living in the city for so long, that every bit of nature had gotten him excited. Now he was living in such an area and it was an amazing feeling.

But as much as Danny enjoyed the impressive view and all the different smells and sounds, he couldn't prevent himself from glancing at the young woman next to him. With a smile he noticed that her eyes were glued to the view in front of her. From the conversation the evening before he knew she had grown up on a farm and so was used to living in the Montanan country. Surely she didn't feel as strange as him in those new surroundings, but he could imagine that for a young woman like her, this sudden independence wasn't easy to handle either. He was impressed by her; she had really managed to go all the way from her farm to the Taylor's ranch and was going to start fresh with being an independent woman now. He hadn't met any woman that could say that about herself and he had a lot of respect for that.

Being impressed wasn't everything Danny was feeling towards Lindsay. Being so close to her in the back of the wagon, he noticed that she was even more beautiful. She had a friendly and open expression, and her dark, brown eyes were sparkling, looking like chocolate in the bright sunshine. Her amber hair was curly and looked so soft he could feel his fingers itch because of the wish to touch it. She was petite, but he could imagine she was also very strong.

So deep was he in his thoughts about the beauty next to him, that Danny didn't notice how she turned her attention away from the impressive view to glance at him, catching him while he was staring at her.

"Danny?" she asked, immediately blushing at the sudden attention she wasn't used to. Snapping out of his thoughts, he looked at her in confusion and embarrassment before a smile, that was for him unusual, lit his face.

"Oh hey," was all he came up with. "It's, uh...a wonderful day, isn't it? So sunny and warm. Exactly the way it should be on a first day."

Lindsay nodded, still looking a bit unsure at him. "Yes, it's beautiful. Surely also very different from your old home."

Danny chuckled. "So very true. Have you ever been in one of the large cities?"

Lindsay shook her head. "No, to be honest, I have never been far away from my parents' farm." She blushed. "Apart from what I saw on my way to the ranch, I haven't gotten the chance to see much of the world yet."

"There isn't much you've missed, believe me," Danny replied. "The city is big and busy and dirty. It's not comparable to the beauty of Montana."

"Really?" Lindsay glanced at him in excitement. "Please, would you mind telling me more? What was it like living in the city?"

Danny couldn't hide the smile that lit his face when he saw how excited and interested Lindsay was. Of course he didn't mind sharing, as long as he didn't have to reveal every detail of his past. And so he started to talk, all the time caught by the beauty that was her eyes; eyes that were glued to him now instead of to the landscape.

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Flack heard the door jangle as he was in the back of the shop, stacking barrels of crackers and salted meat. It was a laborious task, but one he was happy to undertake. And his long arms and strong muscles soon made short work of the task. Jessica and her parents were busy on the shop floor serving customers. It was market day in Hope, which always meant a flurry of business in the store, and very little time for resting. It was the one day of the week when the bell over the door never seemed to stop ringing. busy and as tiring as Tuesdays were though, neither the Angells or Flack would have it any differently - a busy shop meant a full till, and a few more dollars into his savings account. Every Tuesday, if it had been a successful day, Mr and Mrs Angell would tip Flack a few extra dollars. They were well aware of the hoard of money he was keeping aside, as he had been honest with them about it from the day he had started working for them. It was something his own family, particularly his father, had taught him to make a habit - putting a little money aside every week for his future. Flack had been working for the Angells for almost five years now, and his diligence and careful saving had paid off. At the town bank, he had a good sum of money put away for when the time came for setting up on his own. Well, not entirely on his own. If all went well, he and Jessica would be making their own home together in the not too distant future. They had been officially courting, with the blessing of Mr and Mrs Angell for the last two years, and as soon as he had saved just a little more, he planned to ask Jessica to marry him.

Pasuing for breath a moment, and to wipe his forehead, Flack thought about the ring he had seen in the town jeweller's shop. It was a simple gold band with a tiny sapphire set in the middle, so dark a blue it was almost black, a shade to compliment the colour of Jessica's hair. He smiled to himself, and let himself imagine for a moment slipping the ring onto her finger and seeing her dark eyes light with joy. It was a moment he had dared to dream of for a long, long time. And now he felt it within reach...

"Donald! Can you come out here?" Mrs Angell's voice drew him out of his reverie, and with a slight shake of his head, he dusted himself down, ran his fingers through his hair to settle it flat and strode out towards the shop floor.

It was milling with people, but the small group in the middle of the store caught his attention immediately - it was the couple from the old ranch, Mr and Mrs Taylor, and they were accompanied by a young man and woman. Mr and Mrs Angell were standing next to the Taylors, whilst Jessica stood demurely in front of the counter. As Flack emerged, she caught his eye and smiled quickly at him. Mrs Angell also smiled and waved him over.

"We have some new folks in town, Donald! Mr and Mrs Taylor have brought them here to introduce them to everyone and show them around a little. We need to make some introductions..."

Mr Taylor stepped forward then, and nodded politely at Flack, "Good to see you again, Mr Flack." He turned to the young man with spectacles, who looked to be about the same age as himself, Flack guessed.

"This is Mr Daniel Messer, otherwise known as Danny to ourselves. Danny, this is Mr Donald Flack."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr Flack." Mr Messer held his hand out with a grin, and Flack took it, his face also breaking into a smile. He felt an instant liking for the man, and a sense of someone who he would be pleased to make the acquaintance of. There seemed to be confidence in the man's demanour, as well as openness and curiosity. His handshake was firm, and his eyes looked straight into his. There was nothing he seemed to be hiding.

"Likewise." Flack replied, "Welcome to Hope. It's a good, honest town with plenty of friendly folk. Sure you'll be real happy here."

"I'm thinking we will be." Mr Messer put his thumbs into his pockets and flashed a grin at the young woman standing next to him, "First time I've ever been in a town like this, but we've been made to feel more than welcome."

"Good to know." Flack nodded, and then turned to the young woman. She smiled shyly at him, and bobbed a low curtsy.

Mrs Taylor stepped forward then with the air of confidence that Flack had noticed in her each time she had been in the store, "Mr Flack, this is Miss Lindsay Monroe. A Montana native, unlike Mr Messer who's come all the way from New York city!"

Flack smiled at Miss Monroe and liked immediately the warm smile she gave him in return as she also held out her hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr Flack. Mr and Mrs Angell and Miss Jessica were just telling us a little about you."

Feeling his cheeks warm a little, Flack shook her hand and glanced at Mr Angell, who gave him a hearty pat on the back.

"All good things, Donald, all good things. Was telling Mr and Mrs Taylor how much Mrs Angell, Jessica and I think of you."

The blush on his face was undeniable now, and Flack cleared his throat to try and hide his embarrassment. Mr Taylor nodded reassuringly at him, whilst Mrs Taylor, who had her arm through her husband's, was smiling in the same way at him.

"That's a wonderful thing to be hearing." She said, and glanced over at Jessica with a bright-eyed look of understanding. It was then Jessica's turn to blush, but Mrs Taylor spoke again and spared her any more blushes, "I'm sure all you folks will get along famously, and of course you must all do us the honour of a visit at our ranch very soon. I'd be delighted indeed to offer you an invitation to dinner."

"We'd be delighted to accept, thank you, Mrs Taylor." Mr Angell smiled at her and his wife nodded her assent eagerly. Flack raised his eyebrows at Jessica and saw that she looked as interested as he did at the proposal of going for dinner at the Taylors' ranch.

Arrangements were quickly made between them all and a suitable date and time agreed. The store then began to fill up with more customers and the Taylors and their new employees made their goodbyes to them all, informing them that they were going to go and look over some livestock to buy for the farm.

After they left, Flack was soon caught up again in the bustle of customers and their demands and it was some time before he and Jessica had a moment to speak with each other. As soon as they could though, Jessica tugged him aside with questions in her face. Flack grinned at her, knowing very well what she was about to ask him.

"I liked them both." He said before she could ask, and she broke into a merry laugh.

"Oh I knew you would!"

"And what are your thoughts on Mr Messer and Miss Monroe?"

As she tapped her finger against her lips thoughtfully, Flack enjoyed watching her.

"I think I like them both as well." She answered after a moment.

"You think you like them?" He teased her, and she folded her arms across her front in mock disapproval.

"Donald Flack, you asked for my thoughts so I gave them to you. Now don't be mocking me."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Miss Jessica." His voice lowered and he leaned a little closer to her, sensing her moving closer as well.

"Glad to hear it..." She murmured, and he felt the warmth of her breath.

"Donald! Jessica! You're needed out here!"

Mr Angells voice rang out across the store, and with a sigh and a wry smile, Jessica squeezed his hand.

"Our customers await."

"Guess we wouldn't have a store without them." Flack grinned as he led the way back out to the shop floor, her hand still holding onto his.

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**Please review, we'd really love to know what you thought. And we'll update again soon! Rose and Brina x**


	7. A Trip To Hope

**Author's note: Huge thank yous to all of you for those wonderful reviews! Also thanks to everyone for taking the time to read our story and for adding it! Special thanks for the lovely reviews goes to **_**saturn568, cmaddict, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hylen, afrozenheart412, SMacked Hard, csi-ncis, Forest Angel, DREdwards **_**and **_**DNAisUnique**_**! You're the best!**

**Also recently updated; 'Once Upon The Time In The Old West' and 'Howling At Night'.**

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****Chapter 7: A Trip To Hope  
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Doctor Sid Hammerback sat in the sunlit parlour of Frobisher's Hotel, the only hotel in Hope, and looked over his spectacles at his companions.

"A question for you gentleman," he said. "What do you think about the newest members of our little burg?"

Sheldon Hawkes, the other doctor in the room, smiled as he sipped on his glass of soda. A distinguished man with smooth dark skin, the amusement in his features and the twinkle in his eye betrayed some of his feelings. "Hammerback, we're three gentlemen enjoying a quiet afternoon drink. This is neither the time nor place for gossip, neither are we _gentlemen_ for gossip..."

"Gossip? Sheldon, I'm wounded that you would even consider the notion that I am a man for gossip!" Blinking in disbelief and falling back into his chair, the expression on Dr Hammerback's face was one of exaggerated hurt.

It only increased the amusement of his fellow doctor. "Come now, Hammerback, a little teasing's good for the soul, wouldn't you say so, Ross?"

Adam Ross, the youngest member of the triumvirate gulped down a mouthful of his drink and spluttered a little before answering. "Uh, sure Doctor Hawkes, don't mind a little teasing myself, now and again. Got plenty used to it at school..."

Hawkes clapped him on the back. "You're a fine fellow, Ross," He gave the younger man a kindly look. "The sort of teasing I expect you endured at school isn't something you're likely to face here. Just some good natured banter between friends."

Ross smiled and relaxed a little. "Got no worries about that, Doctor... uh, _doctors_."

Hammerback sat forward then, and set his glass of brandy down carefully on the polished table. "You haven't answered my question yet, Sheldon. Have you met the Taylors? What do you think of them? Are they good folks?"

"Can't say I've had the pleasure of speaking with either Mr or Mrs Taylor. However, I caught a glimpse of them last week when they were visiting the Angells' store. Seemed a pleasant couple indeed; Taylor looks a fine figure of a man, and his wife's a mighty pretty lady. Seemed real friendly too," Hammerback nodded approvingly, and Hawkes took a sip of his drink before continuing. "Happened to call into the store myself, shortly after they'd left for a few trifling items I realised I needed, and fell into conversation with Mr Angell. The Taylors were mentioned. He told me they seemed to be making a good job of cleaning up that old ranch they're living in, and that they were taking on a couple of young folks to work for them..."

"Ah _ha!_" Hammerback wagged his finger and triumph blossomed on his face. "So your claim to _not_ be a gentleman of gossip is unfounded! Why Sheldon, I declare you're a better source of information than even my dear wife..." His expression became thoughtful as he let his gaze drift. "Well, this is interesting indeed. Most interesting. More new people for the town, and young blood too. Seems Hope is becoming quite the up and coming town." He beamed at the younger doctor, whose face wore a slight trace of embarrassment.

"It was merely a conversation with a fellow townsperson, I did not go in there specifically to search out gossip and tittle-tattle. As it happened, I remembered I was in urgent need of some razor blades..."

Ross screwed up his face in confusion then. "But... but I ran down there the week before last and bought two packets of them when you ran out, Doctor Hawkes. Did you use them up so fast?"

Hawkes glared and then sighed and shook his head. Hammerback chuckled to himself, and finally a sheepish grin crept back onto the younger Doctor's face.

"Seems you caught me out good and fair, Hammerback. I concede, I was eager to find out a little more about them, and Mr Angell was as happy as ever to share his opinion on his customers."

There came the sound of the door opening and a bell jangling merrily. Bright voices sounded, a male and a female, and the three gossiping gentlemen looked up in keen anticipation. Hope was not so large a town, and the entry of anyone to the hotel was always a matter for notice and discussion; who it was, who they were with and how they were dressed. All important matters in a small community that prided itself on the appearance and behaviour of its citizens. As the three looked eagerly towards the door, they were rewarded with the sight of two people walking into the hotel, smiling and talking lightly between themselves.

"Well now," Hawkes smiled broadly at his friends. "It appears we've gotten our wish for the opportunity to meet and introduce our good selves to the Taylors' new employees!"

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Moving to a place that far in the West had been a huge change for Danny. He had grown up in the city of New York, was used to many people surrounding him, to dirty factories, smelly streets and tall buildings. There wasn't much of nature to see. One could be grateful for a tree here and a bit of grass there.

Now Montana was a huge difference to that old home he was still so used to. Only a day earlier, Danny had stepped out of an old, loud train just to find himself somewhere nowhere in a tiny town with the fitting name 'Hope'. Hope wasn't anything that could be compared to New York. Everything seemed to be different, starting with the train station over the town itself to the landscape. All of the sudden, he was surrounded by nothing else but endlessly long wheat fields, mystic dark forests and impressive, mighty mountains. There were no factories, no dirt in the air and no tall buildings.

No, Hope couldn't be compared to New York. The town wasn't much more than a long, dusty street with small, wooden and lovingly decorated houses at both sides and a couple of tiny shops, a little hotel and a saloon.

But despite what he had thought about himself, wondering whether he could ever get used to the pure country, Danny felt home.

Home.

Ever since childhood, Danny had wondered what exactly made a place change from nothing else but another location to something people called home. So far New York seemed to have been his home; he had grown up there, had lived there all those years with his family members and his friends.

Now Danny was convinced that to qualify as home, a place needed to be more. It had to cause this comfortable feeling inside him, telling him that he never wanted to leave this place again; no matter how far he would be away, he would always return. Leaving the city, he had been convinced he wouldn't like to come back. Thinking about leaving Hope and the ranch again even though he had just arrived not even an entire day ago? For him this question didn't even exist.

Yes, he felt home. Something about Hope was causing it, this feeling he had heard about but never experienced before. He felt like he had arrived at the place where he was supposed to be. And he wasn't alone. Right there, next to him, she was walking. The other new member on the Taylor's farm. Lindsay.

With a secret side glance at the young woman next to him, a soft smile lit Danny's face. Lindsay, the young woman who had arrived on the back of her horse, with a smile that could brighten everyone's day.

The town wasn't so small though. It owned a little hotel, a beautiful little building, made of dark, reddish wood. It was small as well, fitting to the town. It was a hotel nonetheless. While Mac and Stella, who had had the pleasure to have a visit in town already, were taking care of looking out for cattle and other animals they might need for their farm, they had suggested that the town's newest arrivals had a look at the surrounding area by themselves. Danny couldn't deny he had felt his heart jump in excitement at the prospect of spending some time alone with his young companion.

Like Danny had hoped and expected, Lindsay was an entertaining conversational partner. Always with sparkling eyes and a bright smile she had been chatting about this and that, the town, her journey. But, and this had surprised Danny even more than her constant bright mood, she had quickly started to show a strong interest for his own person as well. Wanting to know more about his own journey across half of the country, she had listened to him in excitement and interest; a reaction he wasn't used to but which was so new and so welcome that he was eagerly looking forward to moments like this as well.

Soon the vivid conversation came to a stop though the moment Lindsay spotted Frobisher's Hotel. The small, lovely decorated building with the broad sign showing its name, immediately caught her attention, the sparks in her deep brown eyes revealing her curiosity.

"Oh, look at that beautiful house over there, you see it?" she asked excited, pointing at the hotel. "What a lovely place for guests to stay at! Would you mind if we headed over to have just a tiny look at its inside? If it's only half as beautiful as it looks from the outside, it'd be wonderful to see it."

Even if he hadn't been interested in seeing more of the town himself, Danny wouldn't have a chance to decline the wish of this beautiful young woman who was catching his attention with her naturally beautiful appearance, who with every word that left her soft lips made him tingle with joy. So he nodded.

"Fine." Smiling even brighter than before, she linked her arm with his, much to his surprise. Struggling with blushing, he walked over to the entrance of the small building. The wooden deal boards of the covered porch squealed at every step, causing both of them to wince lightly. Exchanging a glance, both of them chuckled. The hotel was beautiful, but surely not the newest anymore.

They entered the hotel and moved through the main entrance to a door marked as the parlour. Grabbing the door handle tightly, Danny wanted to open the door to let him and Lindsay in. Before he could push said door handle down though, he felt how it seemed to move on its down. Before Danny understood what was happening, the door was pushed open, almost knocking him over. Reaching out, Lindsay grabbed his arm, preventing him from falling.

"Oh! My apologies, I didn't expect anyone to be on the other side of the door. How rude of me!" an older man exclaimed.

"I'm fine," Danny replied, standing up straight again. Blushing lightly, he gazed at Lindsay, who was still holding his arm, examining if he was indeed alright. He wasn't sure on whether he was feeling slightly embarrassed by the fact she was holding his arm or that the petite woman had prevented him from ending on his backside.

"Still I apologize for being so reckless," he said. The man paused when he gave Danny a look over before a broad smile lit his face. "Oh, you're new in the beauty that is our town Hope, aren't you, my dear son? I've seen you just the day before, together with Old Randy. I'm Dr Sid Hammerback."

"Do you think it's fair to call Randy old while you're not that much younger yourself, Sid?" one of the other men teased. Turning to Danny and Lindsay, he added, "I'm Dr Sheldon Hawkes. And this here is Mr Adam Ross."

"Very nice to meet you," Danny, finally getting his formerly racing heart after the connection with the entrance door of the hotel back to normal, answered, smiling. "I'm Danny Messer. And this is Miss Lindsay Monroe."

"Yes, very nice to meet you," Lindsay greeted the men, who immediately turned their attention from Danny to her, all of them with almost brighter smiles than her. Danny couldn't help the light, stinging feeling that immediately formed in his stomach.

"I heard that the Taylors who own that beautiful ranch a couple of miles outside the town just got some new arrivals," the man who had been introduced as Ross, said, giving Lindsay a friendly look that caused Danny to narrow his eyes. "You two have to be those new employees. We were already talking about..."

"About how much we'd like to finally have the pleasure to meet our town's newest members," Hawkes completely, giving Ross a warning look, who instantly blushed at the realisation of his reckless words that had almost revealed who had been center of the three men's conversation only minutes earlier.

Hammerback nodded. "Unfortunately neither of us got the chance to have a conversation with the Taylors, the more enjoyable it is to get to meet the two of you."

"Mr and Mrs Taylor wanted to head to another store, they said they were planning on heading to the hotel as well later," Danny explained.

Sid smiled. He glanced at Lindsay. "And you'll be working on the ranch as well, young lady? Seems to be a lot of hard work for a petite beauty like you are."

Lindsay released a soft laughter at the well expected comment, so bright it caused Danny to smile, despite his dislike of the attention the other men were paying to her. "Don't you worry about that, doctor. I've been raised on a farm and I'm used to work like that."

Hammerback raised his eyebrows in acknowledgment. "Very good to hear!" He looked at Danny, winking at the young man. "Seems you have a great companion then."

While Lindsay laughed again, along with the other men, Danny nodded. At first not sure whether he should join them, he smiled himself at the look his companion was giving him. But despite the strange and confusing feelings he had just experienced, he was feeling new excitement rising inside him at the prospect of living in such a beautiful town with so many lovely people around.

* * *

It was the end of a long day; a long and tiring day, but a day that had been successful and fulfilling. As the sun sank out of the sky, sending streamers of red and gold through the clouds, Mac sat on the front step of the farmhouse, Stella on his knee, with her arm round his neck, and his arm round her waist. As the evening air cooled, she rested her head on his shoulder and her fingers began to comb the short strands of hair at the back of his head.

Mac sighed in contentment and felt his muscles relaxing.

"You have a wonderful touch, you know that?" he breathed, as his hand moved to her knee, caressing it gently.

Stella smiled and her face nuzzled into his neck. "So you've said... and I could say the same to you."

They were silent a while longer, staying wrapped together, letting fingers drift and lips touch. Finally, Mac pulled back a little, smiling at Stella's disappointed frown. He touched his fingertips to her lips.

"It's getting cold, we should go indoors."

Stella removed his fingers, but kept them grasped in hers. "Mac, it's fine. Lindsay and Danny are both in bed."

He grinned. "That's as maybe, but it's still cold out here, and your dress isn't exactly made of the warmest or thickest material."

"Neither is your shirt," Stella smirked and tugged at it, pulling him closer to her so their noses touched. "But if you insist, then maybe we should go inside." Her fingers crept down his shirt, and she looked up at him through her eyelashes. "And upstairs..."

Mac, standing and swinging Stella up into his arms and making her squeal with surprise, let out a chuckle. "So, your little misunderstanding with Miss Angell today..."

Stella's face grew serious then and her arms wrapped round her husband's neck. "You've thought about it too? Children?"

He looked down at her, the last light of the setting sun gilding his skin and hair. "I've thought about it. I've thought about it a lot, and..."

"How do you feel about it?"

"I feel..." he exhaled deeply. "I feel it would be something good for us."

Stella smiled and the light gleamed in her eyes. "It would be wonderful, Mac. Perfect. This is our new life here, and to have our own new life, _our_ child..."

"I can't think of anything I'd rather have."

He kissed her and she responded, her arms tightening round him as he carried her over the threshold, through the kitchen and up the stairs.

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**Thanks for reading! Please give us some feedback, it's very appreciated. Rose and Brina xxx**


	8. Friends in need

**Author's note: Huge thank yous to all of you for those wonderful reviews! Also thanks to everyone for taking the time to read our story and for adding it! Special thanks for the lovely reviews goes to **_**saturn567, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, afrozenheart412, SMacked Hard, csi-ncis, Forest Angel, DREdwards, FoxPhile, SMACKedHuddy, Sucker-4-Smacked **_**and **_**DNAisUnique**_**! You're the best!**

**Also recently updated; 'Once Upon The Time In The Old West' and 'Hawaiian Nights'.**

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****Chapter 8: Friends in need**

The warmth of Summer was spreading through the land, unrolling carpets of green grass across the meadows and unfurling leaves on the trees. For the last few weeks, the weather had been mild, and the shoots of leaves that had ventured above ground at the beginning of May were now being nurtured by the soft breaths of wind and the gentle rain.  
The day had dawned in a haze of yellow; the clouds etched with gold and the horizon wavering in the promise of heat. Danny had woken early, the sun falling across his eyes and sending him straight out of bed. The morning's work had passed quickly and he had soon discarded his jacket, and even then he had felt his plaid shirt too warm.

It was even warmer now, and he was glad to be sitting at his ease. For a while, he had been watching Lindsay but he hadn't said a word yet. Together they were sitting on the tiny, wooden bridge that crossed the small creek that was blazing a trail across the area of the ranch. It was their lunch break and the two had decided to enjoy the beautiful spring day at the water. Ducks were sitting at the edge of the creek, quacking and cleaning themselves. Small flies were dancing above the surface of the water, from time to time a dragonfly passed them. A light breeze was blowing, creating tiny waves, causing the long grass to swing lightly. Birds were singing in the tree and from time to time picked up the pieces of bread he and Lindsay left on the bridge for them.

It was a peaceful atmosphere and once again Danny realised that moving to Montana had been the best decision he had ever made. Such a peace he would have never been able to experience in the city. On this ranch in Montana, Danny had to work hard for his money, had to spend hours with exhausting work every day from the early morning to the late evening. But as much strength as it cost, he felt better than he had ever felt before. He had switched the easy life in the dusty, smelly city against the hard work and the smells and sounds of nature in the country; and he wouldn't want it any different. The work wasn't easy but he knew every dollar he earned he had done honest work for and this was an amazing feeling for him.

Apart from that, Danny also finally felt like he had found a place he could call his home. The people around him felt like his family, which meant a lot for a man who barely was willing to let people get close enough to him to build up an emotional relationship. And from all those new family members, Lindsay definitely meant the most to him. It was like a special bond seemed to be uniting them already and sometimes he wondered if he could sense what she was feeling. Like right now. She hadn't even noticed he had been watching her for minutes. She seemed to be deep in her thoughts, looking down at the water. From time to time she was taking tiny bites from her sandwich. Since they had sat down at the creek, she hadn't spoken a single word. Of course he could assume she was just exhausted, but the expression in those chocolate brown, warm eyes was telling him a different story.

"Is everything alright?" he asked softly. Although his voice was low and warm, snapping out of her thoughts caused her to tense lightly. A little confused she looked up and realised he had to have spoken to her. A shy smile lit her face.

"Excuse me, what did you say?" she wanted to know.

"I asked if you're alright," he repeated.

"Oh, of course. Everything's fine," she answered, smiling at him. He could feel the smile wasn't honest though. Usually Danny's wasn't very successful at reading people's body language; he would rather listen to spoken words and the way they were spoken. With Lindsay it seemed to be different. One glance into those beautiful, thoughtful eyes and he could see right into her soul. This moment was no exception. He could see the concern in her eyes; even this pretty smile of hers couldn't change that.

"You know you can talk to me when something is worrying you," he continued softly. He didn't want to make her feel that he didn't believe her answer was true, still he wanted to show her he was listening. "Are you maybe homesick?"

"Homesick? No, no, I'm not," she answered, once again looking at him, once again trying to smile at him. She failed and the way she was looking at him now, Danny was convinced he didn't need to push more to make her open up to him.

"What else is it then?" he asked. He saw her hesitate for a moment. Then she released a tiny sigh. Seeing her like this, with her hands resting in her lap, her eyes focused on some spot in front of her, she seemed to be even smaller than usual and he had to resist the wish to close his arms around her, hold her and tell her whatever was bothering her was going to be fine again soon.

"It's because of Ranger, my horse," she answered then, her voice so quiet it was barely more than a whisper.

"Is something wrong with him?" Danny asked. He knew this question was unnecessary; obviously something was wrong. It was his way to encourage her to say more though.

"I'm not sure," she replied, shrugging. "I think he's not feeling well. He's acting strange all day already."

Danny nodded. He had noticed how she had tried to sneak into the barn from time to time. Every time she had returned, she seemed to be far away with her thoughts. Now he understood why.

"What is he doing?" he continued to ask. Unconsciously he had moved closer to her. When he noticed the leg of his pants was almost touching the soft fabric of her skirt, he tensed, briefly thinking about backing off again. She didn't seem to mind his closeness though and so he stayed.

"He's not really eating, he's unsettled," she explained, still in her very quiet voice. "I'm afraid he might have a colic or something like that."

"A colic?" Danny asked. "Oh, I can imagine he doesn't feel well then, but surely he'll get better soon?"

She looked up at him again, the expression in those usually sparkling eyes causing him to shiver lightly. "If he has a colic, it could kill him," she told him.

"Oh...sorry, I didn't know that," Danny apologized, feeling himself blush at his own lack of knowledge. Why was he working on a ranch and didn't know something important like that?

"It's okay," Lindsay answered, looking away again. He saw how she was clenching her small hands into fists now, her knuckles turning white already. The tension inside her was clearly to feel for him and he desperately wished he could ease it in any way.

"Maybe he's also just...stressed because of all that happened lately. The move and everything, the new environment," Danny suggested. But Lindsay shook her head.

"No, I don't think it's that," she said, her voice shaking lightly while she spoke. "If he hasn't eaten anything after we finished our lunch break I'll ask Mac and Stella what we could do, if we could contact the vet."

Danny noticed how something glistering landed on her fists. Quickly one of her hands rose up to her face to wipe the falling tears away. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I shouldn't be acting like a child..."

"You're not," he disagreed. He lifted his arm, hesitating for a moment. Seeing her still fighting with her tears though, he pushed his doubts away and gently rested his arm around her shoulders. He stopped for a moment to allow her to back off, but when she didn't, he pulled her closer carefully, allowing her to rest against his shoulder. "It's okay to cry. You love him a lot, don't you?"

Lindsay nodded. "I just hope he's fine. Or that if he has a colic, we can do something against it quickly."

"Then I'd suggest we go and have a look at how he is now," Danny told her. He got up from his sitting position and knocked the dust from his pants. Then he offered his hand to Lindsay, who was just looking up at him. "Come on. We'll have a look at him together. Maybe he's already happily eating."

"You don't have to do that for me," Lindsay replied, anyways taking the offered hand to get up from the ground.

Danny released a playful sigh and shook his head at Lindsay. "Just let me be nice." Gently he hooked her arm with his, and this time he was not hesitant. He could feel how concerned she was and he knew she could use every kind of support now. A sudden warm feeling started to spread inside him from where her soft body was in contact with his. His face started to feel hot like he had just burnt it in the sun. Closing his eyes for a moment, he shook his head, trying to ignore the sensations of this sudden closeness between them. He was supposed to be helping her, not to feel like this. So, without saying more, he led her back to the ranch and over to the barn.

----------

It had been a long morning for Stella. Waking at her usual early hour, she had lit the fire and prepared the breakfasts before Lindsay and she had begun their day with feeding their newly-acquired animals. This was one of her favourite tasks, and she knew it was Lindsay's as well. After that was accomplished, they had spent an hour and more in the dairy; the dairy that was newly fitted out with a cooling system put in place by Mac - a rill of water that ran round the clean, tiled surfaces keeping everything at a low temperature, even on such an unseasonably warm day as it was today.

They had both earned their lunch break, and Stella had been glad to come into the kitchen to sit down and rest, and spend some time with Mac. Lindsay she had sent out with a small picnic lunch. Now she sat and watched her husband as he sat back in his chair, swallowed the last mouthful of his sandwich, and sighed contentedly. With his handkerchief, he mopped his forehead of the sweat that was beading at the edge of his hairline. His cheeks were flushed still, even in the cool of the kitchen.

"Are you all right, Mac?" she asked with a smile as she stood up to gather their plates. "You look a little hot. How about some of our cold lemonade?"

"Sounds perfect, just the thing after a morning's work," he smiled. "I'll take some out to Danny as well."

"No need," Stella told him. "I gave them some earlier, well to Lindsay anyhow, I mean..." she stopped in a slight fluster.

"Ah!" Mac raised his eyebrows as she tried to maintain as innocent a look as possible. "I see a little matchmaking going on here! Am I right, Mrs Taylor?"

"Whatever gave you that idea, Mr Taylor?" Stella felt a blush rise to her cheeks and even though she knew she had been caught out, she continued to defend herself. "I merely gave Lindsay her lunch to eat outside and packed a large jug of lemonade with it."

"Enough for two no doubt," Mac grinned. "I know what you're up to, Stella. You were hoping that Lindsay might enjoy the idea of a picnic lunch with Danny, out by the stream I expect."

"She looked a little down, so I thought it would be good for her to enjoy some food outdoors. There's always something special about eating outdoors, don't you think? I guess you sort of take in everything as you're eating, and it makes things taste better too."  
Lowering her eyes, she smiled a little self-consciously, and fiddled with a piece of thread on her dress, but she looked up a moment later to see Mac's gaze on her and a warm glow in his eyes.

"Then I think you did a good deed," he said. "And for what it's worth, I agree with you. The two of them are getting on famously together, and I think they're a good match - Danny's the hard-shelled city boy, whilst Lindsay's the quiet girl from the country, with more to her than meets the eye. I think they'd be good for each other. I guess we might've expected that with employing a young man and woman there might be romance blossoming."

"You wouldn't mind if that happened?" Stella asked him, running her thumb around the rim of the plate as she waited for his answer, curious to know his thoughts, even though she had a good idea already of what they were.

He looked frankly at her. "I think you know that I wouldn't mind, in fact, I'd be happy to see those two young people find the same happiness we have..."  
He pushed his chair back and came to stand by her, taking the plates from her hand and putting them back down on the table. Their eyes met and he brushed a finger down her cheek.  
"And I love how you want to share some of the happiness we have with others, Stella," he said gently before he kissed her. Then he pulled back with a grin. "Now I believe you were mentioning something about lemonade? I hope you're going to have a glass as well. Danny and I aren't the only ones who've been working hard."

"I'll be right back, with two glasses."  
Still smiling, pleased that Mac approved of her wishes for Danny and Lindsay, she walked over to the pantry. There she had several jugs of lemonade chilling that she and Lindsay had prepared several days before. The drink was one she was very fond of herself; sharp and crisp with just a hint of sweetness from the sugar and vanilla extract that had been added. That last ingredient had been a suggestion from Lindsay, and one that Stella had been delighted to try.

It did not take long for her to return to the table and Mac with two full glasses in her hand, the cold drink inside them forming diamond droplets on the side of the glass. She passed one over to her husband who took it with a smile and a touch of her fingers, and then she sat back down herself. Running a finger up and down the glass, watching the droplets blur into one another, she thought about what Mac had said, about their happiness and wanting to share it with others.

"We are happy, aren't we?" she said suddenly, almost startling herself with how she had blurted out the question.

He looked at her, mildly surprised, and then a small smile appeared on his lips. "I'm happier than I've ever been," he told her softly.

Still wet from the condensation on the glass, Stella clasped his fingers with hers and felt joy stretch a smile across her face. "So am I, Mac, so am I. This was the best thing we could have done, coming out here. We have everything we need..."

The door banging open interrupted them; their hands separated as both of them rose to their feet at the blustered appearance of Danny.

"What's wrong?" Stella asked in concern, moving over to him as he stood in the doorway with a face heavy with worry. A sudden fear sent a bolt through her. "What is it? What's happened? Is Lindsay all right?"  
She glanced at Mac who had a serious expression as he came to stand beside her.

"Lindsay's all right... well, no, really, she's not... I mean, she's not hurt..."  
Stella almost sank in relief, if anything happened to either of their two employees, she would not be able to forgive herself.

"Then what is it?" Mac demanded. "Whatever it is, you've got to tell us."

"It's Lindsay's horse, Ranger, he's sick, really sick," Danny stood with his hands shoved in his pockets. "She was looking upset, so I asked her what was wrong, she told me she thinks he might have colic..."  
Stella heard the word in dismay and she met Mac's eyes to see the same feeling in his. Both of them knew just how serious that was.

"How bad does he look? You've seen him?" Mac asked the younger man.

Danny lifted his shoulders helplessly. "I don't know, I'm sorry, he doesn't look so good though, kind of groaning, seems to want to lie down..."

"He mustn't!" Stella exclaimed. "That's the last thing we want him to do, if he does that, we likely won't get him back up again!" In agitation she gripped Mac's arm. "We'll have to fetch the vet out to him, Dr Hammerback, you and me can ride into town and fetch him!"

Mac looked her with a frown. "Seems that's the only choice we've got. Fortunately for us, it's good weather for the ride into town, and we don't need the wagon." He turned back to Danny. "Go tell Lindsay we'll be back as soon as we can, and we're leaving you both in charge until we are. You've got to keep him walking about, don't let him lie down whatever you do, you hear that?"

"Got it, Mac," Danny nodded fervently before diving back out of the door.

Catching up her shawl from where she had flung it earlier over a chair, Stella tugged at her husband's arm. "You know how bad colic is, we can't lose a horse to it, especially not such a horse as Ranger."

"I know," he answered grimly as he followed her out of the door. "I just hope we're not too late!"

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**Thank you for reading, please let us know what you think with a review! Rose and Brina x**


	9. Trying To Help

**Author's note: Huge thanks to all of you who are reviewing this story and also thanks for reading it! We're happy to see you're enjoying our fic! Special thanks go to **_**SMACkedHuddy, SMacked Hard, csi-ncis, DNAisUnique, Forest Angel, afrozenheart412, Mellow girl, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP **_**and **_**saturn567**_**!**

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****Chapter: Trying To Help**

"Lindsay!" Danny came racing across the yard to her as she stood waiting at the entrance to the stable. She looked at him anxiously as he stopped in front of her, Ranger's bridle gripped tightly between her hands.

"What did they say? Can they fetch the vet?" she demanded.

He nodded, clutching his hat against his chest, a little out of breath. "They're going to ride into town now to get Dr Hammerback and bring him back here. It won't take them long if they ride fast, and judging by the speed they left the house, they're gonna be riding _real_ fast!"

Her heart fluttered in relief and she sagged against Ranger's side. "Thank you, thank you for going and telling them. What else did they say?"

"Just to keep walking him, not let him lie down, but I guess you knew that already?"

Lindsay smiled quickly at him. "Yes, I did, one of Pa's horses had colic once and we walked him right through the night."

"And he was all right?" Danny asked, putting his hat back on and then shoving his hands into his pockets as he looked closely at her.

The memory of that night came back to Lindsay then, the anxious hours of walking up and down the yard, of how exhausted she had felt by the time the sun crept into the sky, and how her arms and legs felt as they had become lead, it was so hard to move them. She had only been fourteen, but, stubbornly, she had insisted on helping as well. As the sun had risen, finally, her father's horse had taken a turn for the better and she had at that point collapsed in a heap on the ground, crying with relief, when her father's strong arms had picked her up and carried her up to her room.

Lindsay smiled briefly again then at the memory and at Danny's question. "Yes, he was all right, he made a full recovery. In fact, he's still going strong to this day! Pa was real proud of him for recovering."

Danny grinned. "Hey, I like that, your Pa being proud of a horse!" then a darker look crossed his face suddenly and he kicked at the foot of the stable door. "Don't know if my Pa was ever proud of anything, certainly wasn't ever proud of me..." and then he glanced quickly up at her and gave a short laugh. "But that's nothing for you to worry about, sorry, forget I said that."

Lindsay looked curiously at him and sympathy rose in her at his words and what was underlying them. Just for a moment she had caught a glimpse of a very vulnerable heart inside Danny and it was a glimpse she wondered if she would ever see again. She saw a problem inside him too, and when Lindsay saw someone in need of help, she found it very difficult to ignore that. It was clear that Danny was hurting, but she knew she would have to be patient before she could offer what help she could.

For the moment, she laid her hand on his arm for a moment and let her fingers stroke down the coarse material of his shirt. "Don't apologise, Danny. I'd be interested any time to hear about your family."

He looked at her and she saw him weighing up if that was indeed the case, and then he nodded slowly, and she knew that he had seen she was sincere as a smile appeared for a moment on his lips. "That's good to know, thanks. But honestly, you don't want to be hearing about my family. There's nothing to tell anyhow."

His last few words were spoken with more than a hint of defiance and Lindsay recognised the need to tread carefully here, so she turned her head back to Ranger, who was rolling his eyes at them now and snorting softly.

"He all right?" Danny asked, reaching out tentatively to pat his neck. "Only he looks kind of angry..."

Lindsay sighed. "He's in a lot of pain, I guess it's hard to describe colic, but if you can imagine the worst stomach ache you've ever had, and then make that at least ten times worse, then that's how it is for a horse. Don't forget, they've got real big stomachs, so when they hurt, there's a lot to hurt."

"I guess so," Danny winced and patted Ranger again, who wickered and pushed his nose into Danny's shoulder. "Hey boy, you hang in there, okay? 'Cause me and Lindsay here, _your_ Lindsay, we're gonna take care of you till Mac and Stella come back with Dr Hammerback, and he's the guy you're gonna want to see. He'll have all all kinds of stuff that'll fix you up good, make that stomach fine again."

A fresh smile broke across Lindsay's face then at Danny's words and the way Ranger was responding to them. She knew that Danny had been a little wary of her horse when he had first encountered him, and he had confided to her that he had never been as close to a horse before as he had at the Taylors' Ranch. There were horses in the city, so he told her, but he had never had chance to befriend one.

Then she realised that Danny was looking at her with a wondering gleam in his eyes behind his spectacles. "What do you want me to do? Want me to walk around the yard with him for a bit?"  
"That would be very helpful, thank you," she smiled, and passed the reins to him as Ranger pranced about. Danny backed up a little bit, but as she soothed him and whispered into his ears, he calmed and Danny took hesitant hold of the reins again. "It's fine, he won't hurt you," she reassured him.

"You sure about that?" Danny raised his eyebrows and gave a nervous look up at Ranger, who rolled his eyes again but kept his feet still.

Lindsay smiled. "Absolutely, trust me."

Nodding, Danny squinted at Ranger. "I do, I do... I just don't know if I trust him... hey, no, I didn't mean that, boy." With a sudden guilty look, he reached up again and patted the horse's neck, a little more confidently this time, and Lindsay smiled to herself, even in the seriousness of the situation.

But her smile disappeared a moment later as Ranger let out what could only be described as a groan and his legs seemed about to buckle.

"Oh no!" she gasped and grabbed the reins back from Danny. "Danny, no, we can't let him lie down, we've got to stop him, he's trying to lie down!"

"Then we're not going to let him!" he grunted and heaved at his side as Lindsay dragged him forward, anxious tears threatening at the back of her eyelids. "Come on, boy, no lying down for you, not for a while yet. Come on, how about you, me and your mistress go for a real nice walk round the yard, huh?"

"Keep him moving!" Lindsay ordered as she heaved on the reins again and Ranger moved forwards a few stops, snorting and protesting, the whites of his eyes showing now. "Ranger, come on! We're taking a walk!"

Pulling and tugging between them, they got Ranger out into the yard and began to lead him round. It was only then that Lindsay realised how bitterly cold it had become. Dressed only in a thin cotton dress and with a light cloak round her shoulders, she began to shiver uncontrollably. A glance up at the sky also alarmed her as she saw a thick mass of clouds come rolling in over the horizon and a yellowish light crept over everything.

"Danny..." she started.

"Snow," he said grimly. "Been here long enough now to know what those clouds mean." He looked at her more closely then, touched her arm and gave an exclamation. "Hey, you're frozen stiff! That ain't gonna do Ranger any good if you freeze solid!"

"Well I'm not going to stop and go back indoors am I?" she retorted.

"Wasn't suggesting you did," he threw back at her, folding his arms across his chest. He was also shivering she saw now as he continued, with his teeth chattering. "If you give me a chance, I'll tell you what I was thinking. If you wait here I'll go get coats for us, something warm anyhow."

She nodded between shivers. "All... all right. I'll keep walking, that's going to keep me warm anyhow."

"Make sure it does," he instructed before taking off towards the house.

Lindsay shuddered and pushed herself forward again even though her feet were now starting to lose all feeling and her hands had gone almost completely dead. She plodded on though and Ranger walked alongside her, letting her know with his occasional whinnies that he was still with her.

"Keep going," she murmured, talking to him as much as herself. "Just keep going, Danny'll be back in a minute, Mac and Stella and Dr Hammerback will be here soon as well..."

"Here." A coat was suddenly around her and Danny's hands were fastening it as he took the reins gently out of her fingers. "Get this on you."

"Thank you," she said and felt how ice cold her lips were now, but the coat and the gloves that Danny had brought her soon had an effect. Even more than the gloves though, Danny's hand wrapped round her free one warmed her beautifully.

For another few minutes she walked Ranger and made another circuit of the yard, and then Danny took a turn and she walked beside him, clasping his hand tightly.

And then the first few flakes began to fall from a sky that had become grey and sallow, the colour of gruel and she shivered again, this time as a realisation came to mind.

She clutched Danny's hand more tightly and he turned to her.

"Danny, the snow, Mac and Stella, they're likely going to be caught right in the middle of it!"  
His steps slowed and his face lengthened as the implications of that struck him. "And they had no idea the weather was going to turn, they weren't even wearing proper coats!" his grip increased. "They're in serious danger if they've not stayed in town..."

"If they even reached town," Lindsay groaned. "And there's nothing we can do to help them!"

* * *

In a hurry, Mac and Stella had left the farm to head to Hope and fetch Dr Hammerback for curing the sick horse. As Danny had rushed inside, sharing what he and Lindsay had found out about the young woman's horse, they hadn't hesitated a moment to offer support.

More than once, Stella had gotten a chance to speak to Lindsay even though she was aware that still there was a lot the Montanan native hadn't shared with her yet. Still they had a lot of time to get to know each other better and she was determined to use every chance she would get. But anyways one topic that always got Lindsay to talk was her horse Ranger. Many times Stella had listened to the stories the young woman had told her; some amusing, some more serious, but all of them revealing how much the animal meant to her.

Ranger seemed so important that Stella didn't want to imagine what feelings it would cause if the horse wouldn't be alright. Without a wasting a second, she had grabbed Mac's hand, had pulled him with her and left the farm with him towards Hope in a matter of minutes. Their journey had not taken long, riding their horses at a gallop, and once they arrived in the town they had easily found Dr. Hammerback and explained the current situation in short words. At the mention of 'colic', the older man hadn't needed any more information; he had mounted his horse hastily and followed them back out of town. Just a few moments later and the three were on their way back to the farm.

"It was very friendly of you to offer us your help, Dr. Hammerback," Stella let the man know, speaking over her shoulder as she and Mac were riding in front of the vet.

"Oh, any time, Mrs. Taylor," Dr. Hammerback replied with a smile. "Colic is nothing easy to handle for a horse and as I know how much my own one here means to me, I can feel for your friend. She won't have to worry though as we'll cure her horse and then he will be all fine and healthy again."

"That will relieve her," Stella answered satisfied. She glanced over to Mac, surprised by the lack of reaction he had shown to the conversation so far, finding her husband staring ahead with a concerned expression on his face.

"Mac, may I ask you what's concerning you?" she asked softly. Reaching out, she rested a hand on the thick fabric of his coat which he had thrown on before they had left the farm. Gently she squeezed his arm. He turned his attention to his wife, still with the same concerned expression that sent a soft shiver through her body.

"The weather's concerning me, Stel," he answered in a voice filled with worry. "Look ahead, my dear. That doesn't look good for us."

Stella followed his finger that pointed ahead of them. Indeed she found the horizon in a dark shade of grey, caused by the thick clouds that were dangerously spreading across the sky. The sky itself was no longer coloured in the bright blue from earlier, instead it was slowly turning into a shade of yellow that didn't promise anything good. It was then that Stella realised how cold it was; the temperature had to have dropped a couple of degrees during the last couple of minutes. She shuddered as a sudden cold breeze hit her, creeping under the soft fabric of her blouse. Unlike Mac, she hadn't thought about taking any jacket or coat with her, not expecting the formerly warm weather to change easily like that.

"The Montanan weather can be a danger for everyone who isn't fully used to it," Dr Hammerback announced as he wrapped his own coat closer around his tall figure. "All we can do is hope that we arrive before the clouds turn into the blizzard they're promising and we will be caught right in the middle of it."

Mac nodded at the doctor's words. So far they had been glad to not experience the famous harsh changes of weather in this area, but as he had noticed the clouds that were steadily and surprisingly fast spreading across the sky like a train that was rushing towards them, he had known that nothing good was ahead for them. A blizzard could cause serious danger for them if they didn't arrive at the farm before its start or found a shelter. Once again his eyes wandered over to his wife. What he saw caused his worry to increase in a matter of seconds.

"You're freezing, Stel," he said. "Your clothes are no protection against the cold."

"I'm fine, Mac, don't you worry about me, please," Stella replied, offering a smile to her husband. Despite her attempts at not showing it, she couldn't prevent herself from shivering. The wind had increased and the cold was causing her skin to feel numb and icy.

"Don't you tell me not to worry," Mac replied sternly. "You're freezing, I can see that. You'll get sick if you stay unprotected against the cold like that."

"Mr Taylor is right here, Mrs Taylor," Dr Hammerback agreed with Mac. "The sudden cold we get to experience here shouldn't be underrated. Folks tend to do so. All of them end up in the same way."

"And I won't let that happen to you," Mac added. He moved his horse across to hers, freed himself from his coat and wrapped it around Stella's shoulders before she could fight him off.

"Mac!" Stella exclaimed. "You can't ride in nothing else but your shirt and waistcoat!"

"Still my shirt and waistcoat are a lot warmer than the clothes you're wearing, Stel," Mac told her. "You will wear this coat now as I don't want you to freeze out here."

Stella glanced back at Mac, opening her mouth to contradict and explain to him that she didn't want him to freeze either. One fact she had learned during her relationship with the love of her life; they had a lot in common. Both of them were stubborn and in situations like this, it wasn't easy for either of them to back off. They wanted to protect each other, always had and always would.

They had to face a lot together, had to pass many hindrances to get married. More than ever they wanted to make sure their beloved partner was alright. Stella knew Mac wouldn't take his coat back, no matter what she would try to convince him. It was an inner fight she had to handle, but she knew this time she would have to listen to her husband.

Feeling herself still shuddering in discomfort, Stella allowed her eyes to travel ahead of them, the sight she got concerning her just as much as it had worried Mac moments earlier. It seemed like in a matter of minutes the bright afternoon had changed into dark late evening. There was no sunshine finding its way down at the three travelers anymore. Surrounded they were by dark grey clouds that seemed to approached from all four directions. The wind was slowly changing into a storm, causing the trees that were edging the small road to bend dangerously.

"We should hurry," Dr Hammerback shouted against the roaring of the wind. "Either we might have to try to find a shelter or we should hurry to arrive at your farm."

Mac and Stella exchanged a short look at the doctor's words. Both of them were mirroring each other's expression; an expression of pure concern. It was the first drastic change of weather they were facing and they had just gotten caught right in the middle of it. Mentally they prayed that they would arrive at the farm in time. It was then that they looked upwards, in time to see the first snowflakes fall.

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**Thanks for reading! Please let us know what you think, feedback is very appreciated. Rose and Brina xxx**


	10. Danger in the snow

**Author's note: Huge thanks to all of you who are reviewing this story and also thanks for reading it! We're happy to see you're enjoying our fic! Special thanks go to**_**SMacked Hard, Divinia Serit, csi-ncis, DNAisUnique, Forest Angel, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hannah554, silkylion10 **_**and**_** DREdwards**_**!**

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****Chapter 10: Danger in the snow  
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The formerly bright and sunny day in spring had changed and now the once blue sky was covered with thick, dark grey clouds that promised nothing good. A strong, cold wind was blowing, howling like a hungry animal, bending the trees dangerously. Still Danny and Lindsay were walking up and down the large forecourt of the farm, making sure Ranger wouldn't get the opportunity to lie down.

Even though he had felt unsure and nervous around the tall animal at first, Danny's main attention was resting on something else. He was watching Lindsay closely; seeing how her hands were tightly wrapped around the reins. With a stiff bearing, she was walking, not stopping for a single moment to take a breath. Her slim figure was wrapped into the coat he had brought for her. She was so petite; usually that was something he didn't notice. He had seen many women before, and many of them he had been close to in some ways. None of those women had been anything comparable to her though. She had those sparks in her eyes, revealing the free, strong mind she owned. She had this adorable, warm smile that always caused a comfortable feeling to rise inside him whenever he got the chance to see it. Her friendly attitude could brighten up his darkest mood. It was a gift of hers and he was amazed by the strength and eagerness of the young woman who had been brave enough to head into the big world for an adventure, not knowing what was awaiting her but willing to share her abilities with everyone she got to meet.

Danny was amazed by her. Lindsay had caught his interest as he had seen her arrive at the farm, on the back of her horse Ranger with an excitement and curiosity he had never seen in any woman's eyes before. The more it pained him to see her so small, so vulnerable now as worry was seeming to tear her apart. During the hours they had been walking across the forecourt she had shared all those stories about her horse with him. Every spoken word had revealed to him how much the animal meant to her and he had reached a point at which he himself was praying to the powers above that the horse would be alright; due to their help or to that of Dr Hammerback who they hoped would arrive soon. Together with the Taylors. Before a blizzard broke loose and caused serious danger for them all.

"You're freezing," he stated after a while. The first few snowflakes had started to fall, the wind had increased, slowly turning into a storm as the clouds were preventing any sunlight from reaching the farmland. "Would you like me to bring you another coat or offer you mine?"

"No, thank you," Lindsay answered politely, offering him a smile. She couldn't keep her teeth from chattering. Tighter she wrapped her coat around herself, not able to protect herself against the cold that was creeping under her clothes. For just another moment he watched her shivering before all doubts and hesitation were pushed aside. He inched closer to her, allowing her to back off if she felt like doing so. When she didn't he rested an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close against his side. Relief flooded through him as he felt her giving in to his closeness and snuggling against his side for comfort.

"I'm so concerned," she whispered then. "Ranger seems to be slowly recovering from his colic even though I reckon he still needs the help of Dr Hammerback. But as he, Mac and Stella haven't arrived here yet and are still out there with the blizzard coming up, I'm frightened they might not be in time before it starts."

"Don't you worry, they will arrive here in time, you know the Taylors," Danny reassured her gently, squeezing her shoulders in a comforting gesture. "They will arrive and then Dr Hammerback will cure Ranger here. Then we'll head inside the house and while the land will be covered in snow, we'll be sitting at the fireplace, enjoying some warm coffee and being glad that the cold of the blizzard can't reach us."

"It would be a wonderful moment to share with you and them," she agreed and as he glanced down at her, he found her smiling softly.

They continued their rounds around the yard for another while, watching the snow and storm increase with concern. It was when they could barely walk anymore and the ice cold wind was burning on their faces that they decided they could no longer stay outside and headed back into the barn. With relief they found Ranger no longer growling and urging to lie down; at least for the moment he seemed to be in a much better condition.

"They're still not here," Lindsay said with her eyes constantly focused on the entrance of the barn from where they had a good view across the yard. "They might have gotten caught right in the middle of the storm, what if they don't find a shelter? Many people got lost in blizzards before and didn't find their way home again."

Concern was radiating from her so clearly that it caused his heart to ache. Just like Lindsay, Danny felt a close connection to the couple on whose farm they were living and working. Imagining them out there in the middle of an ice cold storm was a thought he rather wanted to ban out of his mind. As his eyes met hers though, another instinct pushed its way through all the fears.

"They will be fine," he told her softly. "If Dr Hammerback and the Taylors left the town again, they might have found a shelter already. Maybe they also stayed in town. And if neither of those are right, I'm still fairly certain they'll arrive here soon." He had walked over to her as she was standing near the entrance now. Lindsay turned around, gazing up at Danny as she was so close to him he could feel the warmth of her breath on his face.

He expected her to reply. But no word left her lips as she made a step forwards. Not needing an explanation, he understood the silent gesture and closed his arms around her in a comforting, tight embrace. He was holding her close against his chest as her arms wrapped around his waist in response. Such a sudden reaction of the young woman he hadn't expected. She was searching for support, hoping to find it in his arms. To his own surprise he realised he had the same wish regarding her. He couldn't explain it but something was uniting them that was stronger than he had imagined so far. Both had to pass a long way to reach their goal that was supposed to define their future; the Taylors' farm. Alone they had been, hoping to find what they hadn't been able to get where they had come from. And the more time he spent replaying those thoughts in his mind the more he understood that the farm held more for them than work and friends.

"We should maybe help Ranger to walk again a bit," Lindsay said then as she peeked over his shoulder after what seemed to be hours of holding each other. The storm had increased and the wind was howling around the barn dangerously now. The yard was covered in a layer of snow already. "We can try to lead him up and down the barn."

Gently Danny released her from his tight embrace. He couldn't deny the feeling of missing something as cold was hitting him where her warm body had been before. He wouldn't have minded to hold her for the rest of the day, together fighting the sudden cold. But Lindsay was right. Ranger still needed their help before the pain got worse again and he would make another attempt at lying down.

Just as they had turned around to head back to the horse, a noise coming from outside the barn caught their attention. They exchanged a quick look. While Lindsay took the reins and led Ranger away from his current location, Danny headed back to the entrance. Narrowing his eyes, he stared into the dark, trying to see through the mass of snowflakes. It was then that he realised what he was hearing.

"Those are horses," he said, new hope rising inside him.

"Can you see anything?" Lindsay asked as she appeared behind him, peeking over his shoulder. Together they stared into the direction the sound of hooves was coming from. Endlessly long minutes seemed to pass until three shadows were to be seen. Three shadows of riders and their horses.

"Those have to be the Taylors and Dr Hammerback!" Lindsay exclaimed in excitement as she grabbed Danny's hand, holding it tightly.

"I knew they would find their way back to the farm," Danny replied with a smile.

Holding each other's hands tightly, Danny and Lindsay remained standing in the entrance of the barn, Ranger next to them as they waited for the arrivals. They had prayed they would make their way back. Now all their hope was focused on them being fine as well.

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Sid was more relieved than he could say when the dark shapes of what appeared to be farm buildings emerged out of the yellow twilight of the blizzard. He was still riding behind Mrs Taylor, who was in turn behind her husband, and it was him whom Sid was most concerned about. Being in front meant he was suffering the brunt of the storm and the fact that he had removed his coat was, in his opinion, a gesture of foolish chivalry. However, he could not criticise the man, and perhaps it was not foolish at all if it meant that his wife was given some more protection against the elements. Both of them were huddled in their saddles, coated with a thick layer of snow, as he was himself. At least he had dressed himself more warmly, so he did not have to worry about himself, and neither did the Taylors. A sudden guilt struck him though; he should have offered them coats himself...

"Hammerback, you fool," he growled to himself. "What were you thinking?"

But it was easy to be critical with hindsight and it was too late to do anything about it; the weather as they had left the town had seemed fine, and they had been in a hurry to get back to the farm, so there had been no question of remaining in town, or stopping to consider how they were dressed.  
With a heavy sigh, and a shake of his head to attempt to remove some of the snow, he shifted in the saddle and focused on the buildings that were coming closer and closer. His spectacles were needing to be constantly wiped clear of the fat flakes of snow that whirled down in a near-blinding dance. At that point, Mrs Taylor turned to him, her hair sparkling white with snow and her face pinched and frozen, and managed to call out between her shivers that they had almost reached their destination. Relief spread through him, warming him a little as he called his thanks back to her. Mr Taylor, he noted with anxiety, had said nothing for some time, and he caught the look of desperate worry his wife threw at him as they pressed on.  
The horses were also starting to flag now, having been ridden as hard as they could be. His poor mare's eyelashes were encrusted with snow and she was snorting and blowing flakes off her nose in some discomfort. He bent down and spoke softly into her ear, promising her hot bran mash and a good rub down as soon as he was able to. In return she gave him a soft whinny and picked her hooves up.

A few more minutes passed in a frozen silence and Sid was alarmed to see how Mr Taylor was slumped further in the saddle; his head was dropped almost onto his chest, and he had a horrible feeling that the only reason his hands were still holding the reins was because they had frozen to them. Mrs Taylor looked a little better but he was very anxious about both of them and the sooner they were safe in the warmth the better he decided. Then at long last they turned down what Sid knew had to be the path to the farm, only visible as such though by the small humps of snow, regularly spaced on either side that had to be the tops of fence posts. The snow had blown into drifts leaving a dip in the middle that they could pass along, though with some difficulty. As they rode into the farm yard, the sight of two bundled-up figures and a horse greeted them. One remained holding the horse whilst the other waded through the snow towards them as they all stopped.

Sid jumped off his horse first, landing softly in a deep pile of snow that creaked as he sank into it almost up to his knees. "I think Mr Taylor needs some assistance," he gasped, and the man who had rushed over to them, Daniel Messer he remembered his name to be, nodded and jerked his thumb over to the restless horse.

"Me and Lindsay have been walking Ranger round the yard, seems to have helped him, but Lindsay's still fretting about him." He turned an anxious face to him, cheeks red with cold and eyes blinking behind snow-spattered spectacles, much like his own.

"I shall go and see to him forthwith, young sir," he said, and then paused as he saw Mrs Taylor beginning to dismount her horse. "But perhaps we ought to get Mr and Mrs Taylor inside first?" Mr Messer nodded, and Sid stepped over as quickly as he could and took Mrs Taylor's arm as she landed awkwardly, her legs clearly rigid with cold.

"Th-thank you," she stuttered, wiping her face free from snow stiffly before pulling away and moving over to her husband's horse where he was still sitting having not moved from his position. Mr Messer followed her. "Mac!" she called, shaking him. "Mac, we need to get you inside!"  
Slowly and jerkily, he turned his head, and Sid was shocked to see the look of blue cold in his face; his eyebrows were hoary with snow, his lips and cheeks were silver-grey and it appeared he was almost frozen solid. His gallant gesture of giving his coat to his wife had come, it seemed, at the price of his health. Mrs Taylor gasped and a frightened cry broke from her as she clutched at his leg. "Oh, Mac! Mac!"

Mr Messer pushed her gently aside and Sid moved round to the other side of Mr Taylor and between them, pushing and pulling him, they got him down from the horse where he collapsed on the ground, unable to speak and shuddering convulsively. Sid got his arm round his neck and with Mr Messer's help, heaved him up and supported him indoors, with Mrs Taylor hurrying behind them as fast as she could through the snow.

Once inside, she directed them to a rocking chair in front of the range where they eased her husband down. His limbs were heavy and limp, his eyes were half-closed and his head flopped to one side. Sid shivered himself, not least because of the melting snow trickling down his neck. The white flakes that had settled on all of them were transforming quickly into streams of frigid water.

"I can manage here," Mrs Taylor insisted through her shivers as she stoked up the fire in the range before wrapping a blanket round Mr Taylor's poor icy body and catching up another one which had also lain over the couch. With that one she began to wipe the wet snow off him and rub his arms and chest. "Go make sure Lindsay and Ranger are all right."

"Are you sure, Stella?" Mr Messer asked. "Pardon me for saying so, but you look frozen yourself."

"Least I had a coat!" she snapped. "Seeing as Mac saw fit to go giving me his own with no regard for his own safety..."  
Sid saw a sudden glitter of tears in her eyes, which she dashed away with the back of her hand before turning to him. "Please, go and see what you can do to help Ranger, seeing as you came out all this way for him. Soon as you're able to, bring yourselves back indoors and I'll have something hot for you to eat and drink."

Sid exchanged a look with Mr Messer who gave him a small shrug and then moved away towards the door. He placed a hesitant hand on Mrs Taylor's shoulder. "As soon as he's warmed up, I'm sure he will be all right, my dear," he said gently and she gave him a trembling smile before whispering, "Thank you."

With a nod and a further smile, he turned and made his way to the door, turning back as he reached the threshold to see her wrap her arms round her husband and press her head against his with a muffled sob. His smile faded and he left the house with worry in his heart for the couple who had risked so much to help their young friend.

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**Thanks for reading! Please let us know what you think, feedback is very appreciated. Rose and Brina xxx**


	11. Thoughts

**Author's note: Thank you so much for all those lovely and very encouraging reviews! Huge thanks also to everyone who's reading our story! We're very happy to know you're enjoying it! Here is the next chapter for you already! Special thanks for the sweet reviews go to **_**Divinia Serit, Forest Angel, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked Hard, saturn567, csi-ncis, DREdwards **_**and **_**afrozenheart412**_**!**

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****Chapter 11: Thoughts**

The blizzard of a week ago was fast fading to a memory now; now the blue skies and mild air of late Spring had returned. Danny stood and stretched his back, resting for a moment and breathing in lungfuls of the sweet-smelling air. He felt the joy of life coursing through his veins. It was difficult to stop a smile spreading across his face, and he didn't want to stop it either. There was nothing wrong with simply taking pleasure in living and breathing in this landscape. As far as his eyes could see were fields stretching way to mountains and the skies, the huge skies, which lay beyond. It was a sight he could drink in for hours. But there was work to be done, and standing staring was not going to get it done. So with a wry smile at himself, Danny bent back down to the task he was involved in and continued, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his back and neck. It was a hard task and more than once he stopped to wipe his forehead and take a swig of water from the canteen he had brought with him. His work for the day was planting seed potatoes in one of the tilled fields, ready for a good crop in the fall.

As he worked, he thought about the aftermath of the blizzard and the Taylors' hazardous journey back to the farm. It had taken Mac several days to recover after he had left himself unprotected against the elements. In that time, Stella had taken on some of the work he would normally do, as well as looking after him. He and Lindsay though between them had made an agreement to take on as much as they could for Stella, without telling her. They had both seen her becoming tired and worn-out tending to her husband as well as taking on the extra responsibilities of the farm. And seeing that, they both had to do something about it. Unspoken between them was the great love and respect they shared for the couple. Though Danny would never acknowledge that to anyone. Sharing his feelings too intimately was something that scared him.

Mac had remained confined to bed, exhausted and with a light fever, for three days, until he had been able to bear it no more and had proclaimed that he was getting up and no one was going to stop him. Stella had argued with him and had even threatened him with dire consequences, but he had insisted, with the concession that he would take it easy for a couple more days. That had been two days ago, and at breakfast that morning, he had looked in his usual health, if a little pale still. Danny had noticed, as had Lindsay judging by the glances she had thrown him, and the brief discussion they had after breakfast about their employers, that Stella was still more attentive than usual to her husband. Her gaze had not left him, and she kept his plate even more filled. Mac himself had appeared to notice, if his slightly exasperated, but nonetheless grateful looks at his wife were anything to go by.

At that memory, Danny shook his head with a smile, and straightened up once again. Taking a look behind him, he was pleased to see the rows of potatoes he had planted. Please, and proud, of himself. It was an achievement, and once again he was struck by how his life had changed in so short a time. Who would have thought a few months ago that a man from the city, who had never seen a field in his life, would be standing in the rich, brown soil of Montana planting potatoes. He wondered at his previous carelessness about food, and where it came from. It was something he'd never questioned before; the food on his plate was always there ready for him, served up by his Ma. She was the one who did the shopping and the cooking, it was not his place to question where it came from. Here though it was different. Food on a plate, as he was learning, was never a certainty. All four of them worked hard to put it there, and now here was was, using muscles he had not realised he had, to plant vegetables, that in a few months time, they would all be eating. Danny was more proud of that than he could say.

Taking another gulp of water from his canteen, he bent back down to his task, marvelling at how the soil crumbled into moist lumps between his fingers. It was a sensation he enjoyed, the feel of the land in his fingertips. The land that he had grown to love, and that he was nurturing. A sudden image of Lindsay came into his head then. The rich, deep brown of her hair and eyes, the life of the land, and the love for it that was within her. He stopped suddenly, a fistful of soil trickling back to the earth as a realisation exploded in his mind.  
He _loved_ all those things about her. He was vaguely aware of his mouth hanging open and the sound of a bird trilling above him, but time seemed to have abandoned him as he lost himself in wonderment of those realisations and emotions. Emotions that had never entered him before...

"Danny!"

He jerked as if he had received a shock, and spun round to see a figure striding towards him over the furrows of the field.

"Everything all right?" Mac asked as he approached and stopped, standing with his hands dug into his pockets.

Danny stared, and then realised his mouth was still open. He closed it hurriedly and attempted a smile. "Fine, yeah, all fine, Mac. How you doing?"

Mac nodded. "Doing good. Got that section of fence mended so I've come to lend a hand out here. How you getting on?"

Danny blinked and brought himself forcibly back to the present situation as he waved a hand behind him. "Got a lot done, reckon we're going to have a fine crop out of all this,"

After studying the field, Mac gave an approving nod. "I reckon we are. Looks good to me. Very good." He clapped him on the shoulder and grinned. "You're doing real good work, hope you know that. Stella and me are mighty pleased with all you're doing."

A wide grin spread across Danny's face and he felt himself almost stretch in height with pride at Mac's words. "Thanks, that's great to hear. Really great. Guess I'm pleased myself."

"So you should be," Mac said and looked seriously at him. "Aren't many young men who could come out here, to a completely new life, and achieve what you have."

"I... I appreciate you saying that, Mac. Thanks," Danny said, finding it suddenly difficult to hold his gaze. The older man seemed to sense his awkwardness though as he patted his shoulder once more.

"Let's keep going then, couple more hours out here, then I reckon we've earned the soup I know Stella and Lindsay are making for us,"

"Sure, sure," Danny said, and bent back down to his task, glad of the opportunity to focus on something completely different, and not have to think about troubling emotions. Instead he threw a few surreptitious glances at Mac, as he worked, wanting to make sure he really was as good as he said. Mac, however, looked in excellent health, with colour visibly back in his face as they worked. Danny let the soil run once more through his fingers, feeling the sun on his back and the life in his hands. And he knew that at that moment, his life was good.

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Around midday it was, with the sun standing high over the farm as Stella and Lindsay were preparing lunch. They were cooking a thick, warm soup; together with a couple of slices of fresh baked bread this would be just what the hard working men would need. For hours, ever since the sun had started to rise behind the might mountains, Danny and Mac had been working in the fields. The hard physical work would soon tire them out and they would head back to the farm and stomp into the kitchen, longing for something to eat and drink to give them strength for the second half of the day.

It was their daily business to cook for the men. Stella had shown Lindsay a couple of good recipes and the young woman was an eager learner. Many times Stella had been watching her with a warm smile, amused by how much Lindsay wanted to succeed. Over and over she was willing to try until she was satisfied, proudly presenting yet another new cake, batch of cookies or other meals she had managed to produce.

Today Stella found something in the behaviour of her young friend that didn't fit. For a while now she had seen that Lindsay was quieter than usual, especially around her and Mac. With Danny she seemed to be a little more open, but around her and her husband she seemed to be only shy. Lindsay was no shy person though, that much Stella knew about her and so her behaviour was very unusual for her.

For days now, Stella had been watching her young friend, but had avoided mentioning the sudden change of behaviour. While Lindsay was standing at the saucepan, steadily stirring the boiling soup, she could feel the uncomfortable tension that was radiating from her.

"The soup smells so delicious already," she said, trying to catch the young woman's attention. "You're doing a great job with my recipes."

Lindsay smiled briefly, nodding her head. "Thank you, Stella. I'm happy you like my attempts at cooking. I still need to improve a lot."

Immediately she turned her attention back to the saucepan. As Stella had expected. But this time she wouldn't let her get out of the conversation easily like that.

"Are you alright, my dear?" she asked, stepping over to Lindsay.

"Oh, of course I'm fine, Stella," the young woman answered, not able to cover her lie. Briefly, Stella glanced into the saucepan, seeing that it would be all right to leave the soup alone for a moment. Gently she took Lindsay's hands and before the woman could protest, led her away and over to the chairs at the table where they sat down.

"Lindsay, I know we haven't known each other longer than a few weeks," Stella started then, lightly squeezing the woman's hands to emphasize her words. "But if you have something on your mind that is bothering you I'm willing to listen to you and offer some advice, if that is what you want." For a moment she paused. She didn't want to push Lindsay too much, but honesty was something she was expecting so she should be honest herself. "See, Lindsay, we've grown to be something like a family. That is the way I'm feeling about us and I know Mac feels the same way. You can talk to me if you want to."

Lindsay looked up at her shortly before she quickly lowered her eyes again. She wasn't fast enough though to hide the first few tears that were glistering in her eyes. Stella glanced at her in surprise. "What's wrong? Please, let me know what it is."

"I just...feel so sorry." Finally looking up again, Lindsay glanced back at Stella with a sorrowful expression.

"But why should you feel sorry?" Stella wanted to know. "What for?"

"Because Mac and you and Dr Hammerback were in danger," Lindsay said quietly, once again looking down at her hands that were still held firmly by Stella. "You got...into this blizzard and Mac almost froze. You three were lucky that you're all healthy and well again."

"Yes, we were lucky indeed," Stella agreed. "Still I don't understand why you should be feeling sorry. It wasn't your fault we weren't wearing warm clothes like Dr Hammerback and that we got into the blizzard."

"But it is my fault that you headed to the town in the first place," Lindsay told her. Her voice was still not more than a whisper. "You wanted to help Ranger. He is my horse, I should have ridden to the town and fetched Dr Hammerback while you stayed here. It wasn't your job to get yourself into danger for my horse and...I feel so sorry Mac got sick because of that."

Stella looked back at Lindsay in surprise. Never she had seen their ride to Hope from this point of view. For her and Mac there had been no doubt they would head to town while Lindsay would stay with her beloved horse together with Danny, especially as she knew how to handle a sick animal better than anyone else of them. Now Stella found her ridden with guilt, wishing she had been the one out in the blizzard and the knowledge of those thoughts pained her.

"That's not true what you're saying," Stella answered then, hoping she would be able to convince the young woman. "It wasn't your fault as you didn't even ask us to call Dr Hammerback for help. This aside, of course we helped you and both Mac and I would always do it again. We would never have allowed you to ride to town all by your own with this kind of weather and never anyone of us would think you should have done so. Lindsay, I just told you that you and Danny are family for me and Mac. This is what a family does for each other. We help whenever we can. So did you while you and Danny did most of the work during the time I took care of my husband. So please, don't you ever hesitate to ask for help or let anyone help you. You're not here all by your own. We have to rely on each other and help each other out if needed. This counts for you just as much as it counts for us and I want you to keep that in mind." Once again she squeezed her friend's hands. "Will you promise to do that?"

Once again Lindsay glanced up at Stella, for a moment just looking back. Then a soft smile lit her face and she nodded. "Alright, Stella. I will try to keep that in mind and won't hesitate to ask for help," she promised.

Stella's smile widened in satisfaction. "That is what I wanted to hear." With that she released the hands of her friend and got up again. "Now let's get back to our soup. Danny and Mac should arrive soon and they will be craving for some good food."

Lindsay laughed as she got up as well. "They will be happy to find a pan of soup waiting for them."

While Lindsay went back to the range to take care of the lunch for Danny and Mac, Stella watched her, once again with a warm smile. She was glad she had helped her friend to understand that here, with them, she didn't have to only offer help but also was allowed to take it. After all she hadn't been lying as she had announced all of them were a little family already.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please let us know what you think. :) Rose and Brina xxx**


	12. Family

**Author's note: Thank you so much for all those lovely and very encouraging reviews! Huge thanks also to everyone who's reading our story! We're very happy to know you're enjoying it! Here is the next chapter for you already! Special thanks for the sweet reviews go to **_**Forest Angel, SMacked Hard, csi-ncis, DREdwards, Mellow Girl **_**and **_**afrozenheart412**_**!**

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****Chapter 12: Family  
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The warmth of the early afternoon sun was warming his face as Danny was sitting on the wooden stairs in front of the small house he currently called his home. Usually his lunch breaks Danny enjoyed the most, even more when he could spend those together with Lindsay. The fellow farm worker was always a lovely companion; with her eager and friendly self she never failed to brighten up his mood. Today he had been too busy to join her around noon and so he had taken a break a couple of hours later.

Still his slice of bread and the steaming coffee were resting on the dusty ground in front of him, untouched and ignored by the man whose full attention was turned away from the beauty of the landscape surrounding him. Instead all he was caring for was the letter his hands were tightly clenching around. Only watching him closely would reveal the way he was shaking lightly as he kept on attempting to process what he had been reading just seconds ago.

Stella had been observing Danny for a couple of minutes. The letter had arrived early in the morning and in surprise she had read from the envelope that it had been sent right from New York City. Until early afternoon it had taken her to catch the young man and hand the message over to him. She hadn't missed how his facial expression and his entire behaviour had changed immediately. It seemed like with every second he had gotten paler as he had stammered an excuse and had almost run over to his little house.

There he was sitting for minutes now and Stella was getting concerned. Due to the name on the envelope she knew a family member had sent the letter to him. The letter alone had already affected him in a way that worried her but even from the distance she could tell that after reading it he was struggling with the message even more. Stella was fighting with herself. Should she let him deal with whatever kind of news he had gotten all by himself? Should she offer to share those news with her? Stella wasn't sure whether Danny preferred to allow her an insight into his feelings but she also knew she wouldn't find out if she didn't give it a try.

Taking a deep breath, she hesitated for another short moment before she decided to follow the one voice that had never betrayed her before; her heart.

Danny didn't notice her approaching, didn't hear the light steps on sandy ground while his eyes stayed focused on the paper he was tightly holding. Once he had read the letter so far and already he was feeling a familiar slicing pain in the depth of his chest. His knuckles were turning white as the soft, formerly white and now dusty, grey paper was knotted in his tight grip. The building tension inside him was making it difficult for him to form proper thoughts as he tried to push away all those painful old memories.

"Hello Danny," the voice of Stella caught Danny's attention, bringing him back to the present. Startled by the sudden interruption, he stared up at her with huge eyes. "Oh, my apologies, I didn't mean to scare you."

"No, it's fine, Stella," Danny answered, feeling his cheeks warm up a bit, not due to the sun though. Although the Taylors were turning into a family more and more with every passing day, they were still his employers and chatting to them still caused a light sort of insecurity for him. "I was just busy with...thinking. I'll be back to work in a few moments." A growl he could feel in the pit of his stomach reminded him of the lunch that was still resting in front of his feet on the sandy ground.

Minutes of silence passed in which Danny kept on staring at the ground in front of him and Stella continued watching him. She could feel his discomfort, mixed with the feelings she had noticed earlier.

"Did you get news from home?" she decided to ask then. Danny winced at the question. Gazing up at Stella he found her studying him closely and he knew she wouldn't let him back off easily. For a while now he had been working for the Taylors together with Lindsay. His hopes for hiding his past in front of those people he spent every day with had been irrational and he knew that.

"My home is here now," he answered strictly. "The city isn't my home anymore ever since I entered the train that took me to this place. Actually it wasn't my home anymore for a lot longer."

Stella glanced back at him nodding and for a second he felt like she was understanding him. She walked over to him and joined him on the stairs, silent for a few moments before she spoke again.

"May I assume you don't have the closest relationship to folks in the city? To your family? And friends?" Stella wanted to know.

Once more Danny's hands grew tighter around the paper that cracked. "It's rather complicated," he explained to her between clenched teeth. "My father. My brother. My uncles. They've done things I never wanted to be involved in. I never fitted in my family's business. Couldn't stomach that any longer and that's when I decided to start fresh out here in the fields of Montana, doing honest work that suits me, that makes me feel comfortable." He hesitated. "If you don't mind I'd rather not continue my explanation now."

"Of course, I understand your wish," Stella replied. Still nothing had been revealed that could make her get a full picture of what had happened that could have caused Danny's decision to move. His family that seemed to be so different from the young man seemed to be the main reason though and Stella could fully understand the pain he was currently experiencing.

"People who are supposed to show you support, be by your side and accept every decision of their loved ones often seem to change their mind when said decisions are no longer what they want themselves," she told him. "Mac and I left the city for those reasons. The past can cause a dragging pain and it seems like only distance can ease it. Still there are moments in which the pain returns and those are the moments in which we need people around us who are willing to listen to us. I found this man in my husband and I'm fairly certain you're about to find such a person for yourself."

Danny glanced up at Stella, finding her smiling at him warmly. And as he was watching her, thinking about her words with the realisation that the Taylors seem to understand him due to own experience, he realised that his employer was speaking the truth. He knew it wouldn't take him much more time until he would be willing to share his story with Lindsay as well. And maybe the young woman would be this one person who would listen to him when he needed her to.

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The evening was mild with a breeze that blew a sweet breath of mountain air around the farm buildings. Mac left the farmhouse with thoughts in his head that needed fresh thinking to be blown through them. He had left Stella indoors sleeping on the couch, curled up with her head resting on the arm of it. After having put a cushion carefully under her head and laid a blanket over her, he had crept through the kitchen and outside for a stroll round. A thinking stroll as he called it, and was in need of taking once in a while.

The day had gone well, he would even call it successful, but there were various things occupying his mind. Seeing as his wife was sleeping, he had taken the opportunity to take a moment for himself. Not least because she was the cause of many of the thoughts in his mind. Worries even. Since the blizzard in which if he was honest, and as Stella had told him several times, he had nearly lost his life he had been shaken at how easy it was for that to happen out here in the Montanan wilderness. Not only had he nearly died, but so had Dr Hammerback, and most devastatingly of all, so had Stella. If she had not survived, he would not have been able to forgive himself. What he was finding hard to forgive now was that she had been put through the ordeal of seeing him so ill and nursing him back to health again. He knew very well that she would have had it no other way, that she would not have accepted anyone else looking after him as long as she was able to. But she should not have had to have done.

Mac attached no blame to Lindsay, as Stella had told him the young woman seemed to think was deserved. Quite the opposite: he blamed himself. The thought crossed his mind then of how subdued Lindsay had been since the incident, but he knew Stella had spoken to her which seemed to have eased her mind. A small smile wrinkled his mouth then as he thought about how she and Danny were doing and how much progress they had made since arriving at the ranch, both in their work and in themselves. He supposed that it was the same for Stella and himself.

With a profound sigh, Mac's footsteps slowed and he shoved his hands into his pockets. He had reached the edge of the farmyard and stood for a moment looking out over the fields beyond. The journey Stella and he had undertaken to the town replayed in his mind, not for the first time. If only he had taken a more careful look at the weather; if only they had taken their winter coats with them; if only... But if onlys did no good, all he could do was be thankful that he was still here to be able to think those thoughts. Even as he lost himself in recriminations, Mac knew that doing also served no purpose. If Stella knew he was out here now blaming himself, she would be dragging him right back indoors again and telling him not to be so foolish. That was a certainty, no 'if' about that at all. Mac smiled despite himself, and at the thought of his wife in a passion, his mood lightened. He sighed again, but this time it was an exhalation of some of his darker thoughts. Stella had that ability, even in her absence, to take away what troubled him. He loved her for it, more than he could say.  
It was for her he had chosen to come out West, to leave where he knew and all the people he knew. For her. And there was not a moment of regret or recrimination he had suffered about that decision. They were making their home out here, creating a family already with their two employees who they had taken straight to their hearts.

The smile continued to tug at the corners of Mac's mouth as he thought about all they had achieved since they had been out here. Difficulties had been faced, of course, not least the blizzard, but that made their successes even sweeter. For a moment more, his mind lingered on the guilt he had been suffering over his illness, but it let it go as the sun caught the meadows in front of him and brushed them with gold. His heart lifted. It was a sight he would never get tired of. He inhaled the scents of evening, the still perfume of the air and the foliage around them. There was new life blooming all around and he breathed out in contentment.

New life... Family... Mac stilled for a moment. His thoughts turned again to Stella, and to the image of her lying asleep having appeared to be worn out straight after dinner. She seemed to have been tired recently, more tired than he would expect and it had begun whispering possibilities to him. He had suggested gently to her, right after they had eaten, that she have a rest. Of course, she had protested, but not with her usual vociferousness at any suggestion that she was in less than fine condition and then to his mild surprise, she had agreed. Not ten minutes after settling on the couch she had fallen asleep. Mac wondered at that; to have conceded that much, she must have been exhausted. She was not ill, as far as he could tell, so maybe it was something else. Was it possible that a child was on its way? He felt his heart begin to thud deeply in his chest as a tingle of excitement at the thought spread through him. They wanted their family to grow with children of their own. A new little life for their family...

At that moment though, a rush of guilt swept his smile away, and he grew dark once again thinking that he had allowed Stella into such danger as riding through a blizzard when she was possibly expecting their child. Rationality told him he couldn't possibly have known, that she might not have been at that time, but the guilt refused to leave him again so easily. With lowered brows, Mac looked out again at the meadow and saw that the gold of the sun had changed, and was now a lustreless light on the grass.  
His heart felt heavier. Taking his hands out of his pockets, he clamped them on the rail of the fence, needing the feel of something solid under his hands, torn now with emotions. Battling for supremacy was hope and happiness, that the dearest wish of both Stella and himself could be a reality soon, but fighting against that was fear. He was afraid that if his wife was expecting a child, that there would be difficulties and dangers for her. Even as a man, he knew how dangerous bearing a child could be - a cousin of his had died giving birth to her son not five years ago, and that memory suddenly terrified him. That the very thing they most wanted, a new life, could be such a danger to life.

But he was getting too far ahead, and being far too dark in his thoughts. Raising his eyes, Mac saw the last rays of the sinking sun setting the meadows ablaze with crimsons and ambers. Hope soared in his heart then; they would be fine, all of them would be. He would make sure of that.  
As he lifted his hands from the fence and prepared to go back indoors, he heard light footsteps behind him. It was not Stella, instead to his slight surprise as he turned, he saw Lindsay walking towards him.

"Mac," she smiled. "I didn't expect to see you out here. Are you enjoying the sunset?"

"I was. " He returned her smile; it was difficult not to, there was something so generous and warm in her features. It made Mac open up a little more than he had intended to. "I was just taking time for some thinking."

Lindsay's smile softened. "A walk and a view of the sunset is always a good opportunity for thinking. I do that myself oftentimes."

"You do?" Mac raised his eyebrows as she nodded, a little self-consciously.

"I always have done. Used to do it when I was living with my parents. Even if I'd had just the worst day, I'd come out to watch the sun set. Always made me feel a whole lot better. A walk always does that too, I guess it kind of clears your head." She looked a little shy as she continued, as if she was sharing something she thought he might find amusing. "Sometimes I'd go walking in the rain as well because I loved it, and then when I came back to the house soaking wet, Ma would get real mad with me."

Mac smiled at her. "I guess I can understand you doing that. There's something about a rainstorm. I know Stella loves them, she can watch them for hours, and she's even been known to run out into the rain herself for no other reason than to get soaking wet." He grinned at the sudden memory of his wife, not long before they had left for Montana, darting across the streets of the city in the pouring rain and returning laughing, waiting for him to warm and dry her again. Something he was never loath to do.

"I think me and Stella enjoy some things the same," Lindsay said with bright eyes, looking relieved that he had understood her.

"I think you do, and if I may say so, Lindsay, I know Stella appreciates your company and your friendship as well as all the hard work you do for us." Mac felt unsure how Lindsay would accept his compliment, having realised her shyness over such matters a little while ago when he had praised a dinner she had prepared. However, he was determined that praise needed to be given where it was due, and he was pleased to see the smile on Lindsay's face at his words, even if it was accompanied by a faint blush.

"That's nice to hear," she said shyly. "Thank you. I'm happy to know that..." She paused for a moment and seemed to be considering something. "I'm happy that she thinks of me as a friend. I'd like to think of her the same." her voice had quietened a little and as she spoke she twisted her hands in the folds of her skirt. He could see she was a little uncomfortable talking to him about this, so he decided to change the subject.

"I think it's getting kind of chilly standing out here, how about we go back indoors, now the sun's set?"

Lindsay gave him a quick smile. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go for a walk, just till it gets dark. Guess this is one of my favourite times of day so it's good to be outside to enjoy it."

"Sure, that's fine by me. Just take care of yourself and don't go wandering too far," Mac said, and she gave him a quick nod of thanks and walked away towards the path leading away from the farmhouse.

Mac watched her on her way before savouring another lungful of evening air and turning to go back inside. As he walked towards the door of the farmhouse, he hoped that Stella would be awake; at that moment, he needed to feel her arms safe round him, feel the beat of her heart against his. Knowing that maybe there was the beat of another heart accompanying them.  
His wish was fulfilled; entering the kitchen, he saw Stella just waking up, her smile as she saw him an even more beautiful sight than the sunset. A moment later she was in his embrace and he could find nothing wrong with the world.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please let us know what you think :) Rose and Brina xxx**


	13. A Day In Spring

**A/N: We're so sorry it took us a while to update, but here is a new chapter for you! We hope you'll like it! Like always reviews are very appreciated! Thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing so far! Special thanks go to **_**SMacked Hard, sucker-4-SMacked, DREdwards, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, csi-ncis, afrozenheart412, Forest Angel **_**and **_**DNAisUniqu**_**e!**

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****Chapter 13: A Day In Spring**

"You almost ready?" Stella asked, not turning her head from the window of their room. There was missing from her voice much of its usual cadence, and Mac paused in the task of fastening his boots. A frown crossed his face; she had been quiet all morning since they had risen and breakfasted. Although neither Danny nor Lindsay had appeared to notice any difference, he was attuned to Stella's mood, and never missed the slightest nuance of change. And he knew what was troubling her this time.

Getting up, he moved slowly over to his wife and stood behind her, laying his hands on her shoulders. She still did not turn, but he felt how she was holding herself. As if she had pulled the strings of her body tight together.

"Everything okay?" he asked, his hands sliding down her upper arms, knowing the answer to his question. Knowing too the answer that she would give, and that it would be the opposite of what he knew was the truth.

"Everything"s fine," she said, as he knew she would, and her hands clenched a little more on the windowsill.

Her reflection was visible in the panes of glass, allowing Mac to see the strained look in her eyes and the stiffness of her jaw. He was silent for a moment while his hands caressed her arms. What was wrong he was fairly certain of; he was disappointed himself, having allowed himself to hope and become excited, but the disappointment and feeling of failure that Stella was suffering troubled him.

Breathing out, he took a step closer to her, pressing against her, and gave a slow and gentle kiss to the side of her head. "I"m sorry," he spoke in her ear, combing through the curls she had not yet pinned up and that lay loose on her shoulders. "I want this as much as you do, but there"ll be other chances. It didn"t happen this time, but that"s okay."

There was silence and he saw her reflection pressing her lips together; she was still tense in his hold. At last she turned, saying nothing but letting her head rest in his neck and clasping him tightly. Mac returned the embrace and felt the sigh that left her, realising it was the admission of her troubles.

"I felt sure, Mac," she murmured. "So sure there was going to be a baby, and then this morning, when I realised there wasn"t, that I"d got my hopes up for nothing, and yours..."

He exhaled softly, bending his neck to kiss the top of her head. "I"m sorry," he said again; guessing she needed reassurance, and needing to give it to her himself. "I know you"re disappointed, but we"ve got plenty of time, and opportunities..."

At that she raised her head, and he was happy to see a brief sparkle back in her eyes. "We have. But it means we have to wait another month to see if there"s a baby, at least that much time" she sighed and their gazes held, hurting and comfort in return flowing between them.  
Mac drew her back to him and she relinquished her self-possession to let herself be held by him. They stood together, until releasing him reluctantly from her arms, Stella sighed again and gave a determined nod as she changed the subject. "We"ve got a lot to do today," she said, the trace of vulnerability in her eyes catching him as he squeezed her hand. "Both of us are going to be busy."

"That we are," he said, weaving his fingers in between hers as he drew her towards him for another kiss. "It"s going to be a good day."

She gave him a small smile and a nod before she pulled away, indicating that the conversation was over for now.

As he buttoned up his waistcoat, Mac watched his wife sit down in front of the cheval glass and arrange her hair; her reflection now showing a relaxation in her features though she was not carefree. He remained thoughtful. All he wanted was for her to be happy; until she was, he could not be.

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Danny glanced over at Mac as they strolled through the woods, rifles slung over their shoulders. Since breakfast, he had noticed that both Stella and he seemed preoccupied about something. Of course, he had not liked to question, but as the somewhat stern expression on Mac's face had not softened, he wondered if he should at least attempt to ask.

"Beautiful day, isn"t it?" he began, wanting to lead into his desired question gradually.

Mac looked up, a little startled at the sound of his voice. His thoughts, apparently, having drawn him into a state of oblivion to the presence of anyone else and the day itself.

"Yeah, guess we"ve been lucky this season, the weather"s been mild. Makes things easier for us," he replied. It was clear he was not completely attentive to Danny.

He switched his rifle to the other shoulder and stepped with care over a tree stump. "Hope Lindsay and Stella are enjoying the weather."

"They likely will be," Mac replied absently, striding through the undergrowth, sticks snapping under his feet and low branches swishing back as he pushed past them.

They walked on a short distance, Danny leading and building up the courage to ask, before he decided to plunge right in, swinging round as he did so. "Mac, you can tell me if I"m being too impertinent here with my questions, but is Stella all right? Only she didn"t look so happy this morning, which ain"t like her."

For a fraction of a second, Mac paused, and then his foot came down and he continued moving forwards forcefully. "She"s fine. Just woke up with a headache, that"s all."

Danny swallowed, embarrassment trickling over him at the tone in Mac's voice - his _employer"s_ voice - that told him the subject was not to be pursued any further.

Silence blanketed them both; the only sound being the trudging footsteps of the two men. Danny's eyes stayed fixed on the ground, his thoughts gushing through his head; wondering if he should say anything else; hoping fervently he hadn"t offended Mac.

Abruptly, his musings and worries stopped when a hand grasped his arm and yanked him backwards. He stumbled, almost falling into Mac, who held his arm tightly and hissed into his ear. "Ahead of us, beyond the trees. Looks like a mother and her cubs."

His heat drumming against his ribs, Danny looked where Mac was pointing and saw the large black bear and her two cubs lumbering through the trees, heading towards them.

"What do we do?" he mumbled to Mac, not turning his head, the words squeezing out of the side of his mouth.

"We wait," was the reply. "Just try and stay as still as we can. One of the first things I learned after coming out here; don"t ever get between a mother and her cubs."

Danny nodded, and his rifle made the leaves rustle. "What..."

The bear stopped and looked up, scenting the air and listening. Her boot-button eyes settled on them and with her jaw opening, a low growl sliding out of her throat, she came crashing towards them.

* * *

The warm sunrays had greeted Lindsay as she had woken up early that morning. A bright smile had lit her face at the prospect of another beautiful day. As a woman who had grown up in the country, there was nothing more wonderful for Lindsay than getting up, stepping out of the house and taking a deep breath, inhaling the fresh, clean air. The smell of wet grass and hay, fir trees and animals never failed to send a wonderful warmth through her, giving her the strength for the day.

Currently she was making her way across the large forecourt of the farm from the barn back to the main house. A bright smile was plastered all over the face of the young woman as she stomped over the rough stones that covered the large place that connecteed all houses on the ground of the Taylors. For a while now she had been living at this place that was supposed to not only be a fresh start for four people but also could finally give her the chance to prove that she was capable of so much more than her parents believed.

"They would have never believed I could make this happen," Lindsay thought as she shifted the large rake from one shoulder to the other. She had been supposed to work on her parents" farm, should have learnt how to cook and how to keep the house clean. She should have let her parents pick a man who would have married her then and whose children she would have had to bear. Then this man would have lived together with her on his own big farm. There her main tasks would have been taking care of the house, children, workers and the wishes of her husband.

Such a life her mother had experienced, her sisters would have to face it also. But Lindsay was different and this difference in her character had led to a decision that had changed her future entirely; she had applied for working on the Taylors" farm. For weeks now she called this farm her home and never before in her life she had felt more comfortable somewhere. The Taylors were friendly, hadn"t hesitated a moment to welcome her as part of their family and allowed her to move into the beautiful small room which Stella had decorated so lovingly.

Stella also had taught her a lot of tasks which a young woman had to be aware of; cooking, cleaning, sewing and growing plants, but so differently to the way of her mother. Stella was patient and calm, she didn"t get angry at her when once again something went wrong or when she needed a bit of time to succeed. A few times she had been standing next to the dining table with a bright red face as Stella was bent over a plate of half burnt food, despite the horrible taste of it offering a smile and patiently explaining the recipe to her again.

Everything was so different from how Lindsay was used to and every day she woke up in her little room in the farm house caused a smile that remained for an entire day. Other than most women she knew, she didn"t even mind if her dress and hair got dirty, like they currently were. Dust and dirt were part of working on a farm and she was eagerly willing to accept that.

A soft breeze blew across the yard, rustling in the large tree in its center, sending leaves and pollen flying, tangling in her curly hair and playing with the skirt of her long, now dress which was currently covered in favourites stains. Her smile widened as the front door of the main house was opened and Stella stepped onto the porch.

"Hello Stella!" she shouted, her steps speeding up instinctively as she tried to get to her friend. As Stella turned to her, Lindsay's excitement faded at the expression in the woman"s eyes. This morning she had discovered that Stella didn"t look as happy as she had been used to weeks ago, and particularly in the last week. So far she hadn"t dared to question her about this, but as she saw the hurt expression in the eyes of Mrs. Taylor the more her worry increased and the wish to offer an ear to listen got stronger.

"Lindsay," Stella tried to offer her a warm smile as she stepped down from the porch to greet the young woman. "I assume you"ve been at the barn?"

Lindsay chuckled softly, shyly running a hand through her wild curls. "Yes, I believed it would be good to get some work done already. I assumed this might cheer you up." Her cheeks reddened as she realised what she had referred to. "Of course I don"t know whether you need to be cheered up or not but I believed you"d be happy about getting more work done in less time."

In relief she found Stella offering a real smile this time as she nodded. "Don"t you worry, Lindsay," she told her, resting a hand on her shoulder to emphasize her words. "I"m fine, I only felt a little disappointed by something. You idea of getting so much work done already was very kind of you and it did indeed cheer me up."

Lindsay smiled happily. She felt the wish to ask Stella what had upset her and let her know that she would listen if she needed to share her thoughts with someone, but hesitation was preventing her from making this offer. Instead she decided to change the topic into a less personal one.

"Where are Mac and Danny though?" she asked, dearly hoping that her cheeks wouldn"t flush more at the mentioning of the other farm worker. So far Lindsay didn"t understand her own reactions. How was it possible that whenever she spoke about Danny or even worse, when she got to see him, she felt nervous, blushed and stammered like she didn"t know how to form a proper sentence anymore? He caused her heart to beat faster, especially when he offered her one of his smiles. Stella seemed to notice this as well as she had given Lindsay a couple of thoughtful smiles which only had made the young woman blush even more.

Now seemed to be no exception as again Stella smiled at her. "Mac and Danny wanted to go hunting as he believed we"d like to have some deer."

"Oh, I guess that"s also why the wagon isn"t there anymore?" Lindsay asked. At Stella's nod she added, "Ah, then I hope that maybe they can hunt us something as I would love to have some meat again."

Stella nodded in agreement, opening her mouth to respond but stopped as a noise caught their attention. Spinning around, the two women noticed the familiar wagon in the distance, driving down the rocky, sandy road that led through the far fields. A cloud of dust was surrounding it and Lindsay and Stella exchanged a questioning look at the realisation of how fast the wagon was driving.

"Why are they in such a hurry?" Lindsay wanted to know, wondering why she was feeling a lump rising in her throat.

"Something"s wrong," Stella replied, her voice revealing concern. Another glance was exchanged and without a spoken word both women hurried to meet the wagon. The more it approached them the more Lindsay's worry increased. She had managed to spot Mac already, and only Mac. The serious expression of the man caused her heart to race. Where was Danny? Why was Mac in such a hurry? What had happened? Various scenarios found their way into Lindsay's mind, one frightening her more than the other.

"Mac!" Stella shouted as the wagon finally came to stop before it could run them over. "What happened? Is everything all right?"

"We had an accident in the woods," Mac answered as he climbed into the back of the wagon. He spoke in a tone that caused a cold fear to float through Lindsay. Fully forgetting everything else around her, she tried to climb onto the wagon as well. She gasped as she finally got to see the cause for Mac's concern.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand in shock. One glance and she believed she had an idea of what had happened in the woods. Danny was lying on his back, wrapped into a couple of blankets. With pain written all over his face, he was barely conscious anymore. The worst was the sight of his blood though. A lot of blood, soaking the blankets, covering the wooden surface of the back of the wagon.

"What happened?" Stella asked, her voice a few octaves higher than usually.

"A bear," Mac managed to say in response, breathless and still clearly in shock about the previous encounter with the wild animal. "A mother with her cubs. Before we got a chance to get out of her way, she crashed towards us. She scratched him badly, I barely managed to shoot her in time."

While Mac was speaking, Lindsay had started to peel Danny out of the thick layers of blankets. Her hands were shaking violently and she took deep breaths to keep herself calm enough to focus on helping him rather than losing control over her fear. What she found beneath the fabric proved Mac's story right. She found a couple of large scratch wound, spreading all over his body. The worst was his left leg though; the thick trousers were torn, everything was covered in blood, making it impossible for her to see how deep the injuries really were.

Lindsay had seen victims of bear attacks before. His injuries revealed he had been lucky but still he needed help, as fast as even possible. She jerked as she felt the grasp of a hand on her arm and found Danny gazing up at her, his hand tightly grabbing her arm.

"Everything will be all right," she whispered, gently running a hand over the stubble that covered his jawline. "Everything will be all right, don"t you worry."

Barely she noticed how Stella joined her on the wagon, instructing Mac to bring them to the main house before one of them would ride to town to fetch Dr. Hawkes. Lindsay was fully concentrating on Danny. She firmly believed that indeed everything would be all right again.

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**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please let us know what you think! We love to hear from you! Rose and Brina xxx**


	14. Healing

**A/N: We think it's time for an update again! Thanks for being patient with us, and huge thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing this story! Your feedback means so much to us! Special thanks go to**_** jaamiee, Forest Angel, csi-ncis, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP **_**and **_**rapidtetv**_**!**

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****Chapter 14: Healing**  
_  
_The first thing he became aware of was what felt like flames scorching his leg. Beyond that there was heat wrapping round his body and even inside him. Trying to move, he found his body seemed to be locked in place. Panic set in then and he gasped, feeling his hand clutching at something and nothing. At the first attempt to open his eyes he found them seemingly stuck together, imprisoning him in darkness. He tried to cry out, to shout, yell, but no effort would make his lips open. The panic increased, enveloping him as he felt his head thrashing from side to side. with each movement, the fire of pain in his leg increased and at last a moan broke from his dry and cracked lips.

Then there came a voice; one he thought he recognised, but couldn't be certain. His still refused to open but the panic receded a little as the voice continued to speak softly, gently, soothing some of the pain he was in. More awareness returned; he felt the softness of sheets underneath him, the rough comfort of a blanket over him and brushing the top of his chest.

The voice spoke again and this time it shone light into the dimness of his semi-conscious state.

"Danny?" He heard the soft whisper and reached out for it, focusing on it. "Danny, can you hear me?"

His first attempt to speak failed so he concentrated instead on opening his eyes. It proved difficult, more difficult than he ever thought it could be, but with a mighty effort and the image of Lindsay in his mind's eye, he managed it.

All he could make out at first was a blur of light. Blinking several times, he found his vision clearing enough to allow him to make out a pale face with deep brown eyes looking at him.

"Lindsay..." he managed to rasp and the grip on his hand tightened. It may have been the effect of his eyes adjusting to the candlelight in the room, but he could swear there were tears shining in Lindsay's eyes. And that he could not have.

Moving his free hand, he laid it over the one she had covered his with.

Startled, she drew in a breath. "Danny, just take it slowly, please. You were hurt, badly. Do you remember?"

In a flash, he was back in the forest with Mac, watching the inevitable and unstoppable approach of the bear as it came crashing towards him. He had heard Mac yelling but too late. Before he could even think about raising his rifle, the bear had been upon him, knocking him to the ground, pinning him beneath its weight. He hadn't stood a chance. He had fought, uselessly, as the bear tore his leg and slashed at his chest. The sound of a bullet and a roar the last things he had heard before blackness accompanied by more pain than he had ever felt descended...

"Danny? Danny, it's okay, I'm here," Lindsay's voice again pulled him back from the brink of tipping into panic. His breath came in spurts, hurting his chest so he concentrated on breathing as slowly and as calmly as he could. Lindsay's hand stayed on his and her eyes watched his every movement, willing him to recovery. In a few moments he had gained some composure. A smile even found its way onto his lips and it grew as her mouth curved upwards.

But a trembling sigh broke from her and a drop of water fell onto his hand. "Oh, Danny. Please, just lie still, don't try and move, please!" The fear in her voice was sharp and clear and it hurt him even more than the wounds to his leg and chest. Almost extinguishing the fiery pain still there, a wave of guilt swept over him and he groaned.

"I... won't move, don't worry, I don't want you telling me off." A sound that might just pass for a laugh wheezed out of him but when another drop of water fell onto his hand all humour crumbled. "I'm sorry," he croaked. "Really, I'm sorry. I scared you, didn't I? I didn't mean to do that, Lindsay. I'm sorry..."

Her finger pressed against his lips and a kiss touched his forehead for the sweetest of moments. For some reason, that created more fear in him; fear at the realisation that he, without knowing it until now, meant so much to someone that his life being in danger had caused them so much fear and upset.

"It's okay," she whispered, her eyes glistening. "Just don't do it again."

"I won't," he promised, knowing it was true and knowing in that moment that there was now someone very important in his life that made it even more precious. Because she, he knew without a shadow of doubt, was rapidly becoming the most precious thing in his life.  
Treasuring that thought and with the warmth of her hand round his, he drifted into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

The night had been restless and short. The last hours had been filled with concern and fear. Since she had seen Danny and his injuries, she hadn't been able to rest. After taking him to the farm, Mac had headed back into town to ask Dr. Sheldon Hawkes for help. All night long, they had fought to save the young man's leg which had been badly injured by the bear that had attacked him and Mac.

Thanks to Dr. Hawkes, they had managed to help him, but even though the doctor had reassured them that their friend would be alright soon if he got some rest and even would be able to use his leg normally again after a while, Stella couldn't even think of going to bed and sleeping.

Danny had been unconscious most of the time, even though he had woken up a few times. He had had a fever for most of the night and suffered a lot of pain. Someone had to be watching over him all the time. They had to keep his wound clean and had to keep the temperature under control. Stella knew Lindsay would have taken care of him alone if she had asked her, but she feared that the young woman would have worked herself into a breakdown.

Not for a single moment, had Lindsay left his side. No one would have been able to drag her away from Danny. Constantly, she had either held his hand, helped to clean his wounds, check on his temperature or make sure that he was comfortable. Stella hadn't missed the pale colour of her friend's face, the huge, dark, frightened eyes and the shaking hands. She had watched her closely for a couple of hours, but even when Dr. Hawkes was taking care of Danny, Lindsay hadn't been able to calm down, not even a bit.

Stella couldn't watch the young woman any longer. As soon as Danny had fallen into a more restful sleep, gently, she had led Lindsay out of the small guest house and onto the forecourt. By now, the sun was about to disappear behind the mighty mountains, sparkling softly in the snow that was covering their tops even during spring. A soft breeze was blowing, cooling off the formerly hot air noticeably. Stella drew her friend over to the large tree that was growing in the middle of the forecourt and guided her to sit down on the small bench which she and Mac had placed beneath it. The rushing of the leaves calmed Stella down a bit, but as she reached out to rest a hand on Lindsay's arm, she could feel the tension radiating from her.

"He _will_ be alright," she had said softly. "Don't you worry. Dr. Hawkes is a very good doctor and he said he'd be fine. His injuries look worse than they are." She could see the bottom lip of her friend quivering lightly. "Oh Lindsay, don't you worry, please!"

"I know Dr. Hawkes is good," the young woman answered quietly. "But...Stella, I know you might think I'm stupid, but I don't think I've ever been so scared before!"

"I understand you my, dear," Stella answered, gently squeezing the delicate hand of her friend. It was still shivering and it was cold. She wrapped hers around it tightly. "I understand exactly how you feel. When Mac was sick after the blizzard, I was so worried myself. But look, even though he seemed to be so bad, he was healthy and well again very soon."

"I know he'll be fine," Lindsay whispered. "I just wish I could do more than just sitting at his bed, talking to him and holding his hand."

"Oh, but by doing all this for him, you're helping a lot already." Stella gave Lindsay an encouraging smile. "Everything will be fine, just believe me."

Now, hours later, Stella was grateful that she had been right. Everything _was_ fine again. Danny was no longer struggling with a temperature. His wounds were clean and slowly healing. He was still in pain when he was awake, but he was a lot better and was even able to stay conscious and talk. Once again, she had been able to read Lindsay's face, and this time she had been happy about what she had seen. The young woman's brown eyes had been sparkling when Danny had looked at her and given her a smile. No longer were her hands shaking and fortunately her face was no longer pale like a sheet of paper.

Finally, Stella could calm her own nerves down again. During all the concern, she had tried to avoid thinking about Mac's injuries. They weren't bad, but even though he had suffered from just a few scratches, she knew he could have been seriously injured by the bear as well. As those thoughts found their way into her mind, she quickly shook her head. She had been worried enough when Mac had suffered from the effects of the blizzard a while ago. She didn't want to face this fear yet again.

"Good morning, Stella."

The familiar, warm voice of her husband immediately seemed to wipe away the rising concern. With a smile on her face, Stella turned around to Mac who had joined her in the kitchen as well. He made his way over to her and gave her a gentle kiss.

"Good morning," she greeted him. "I hope I didn't wake you up? I couldn't stay in bed any longer."

Mac smiled at her softly. "No, you didn't wake me up, my dear. Have you been over at the guest house already?"

Stella mirrored his warm smile as she nodded. "Yes, and as you might have expected, Lindsay is still awake and taking care of him."

Mac's smile widened. "I'm not surprised by that. How is Danny doing?"

"He's doing a lot better," Stella answered in relief. "The pain seems to be better as well. I'm so grateful that his leg will heal again! He wouldn't have been able to accept it if he hadn't been able to use it properly anymore."

Mac nodded in agreement. "I believe Lindsay will have to talk sense into him though when Danny tries to get up and go back to work as soon as possible. He should rest and make sure he's really well again before he returns to work."

"Oh, I'm fairly certain she'll make sure that he won't go back to work too early." Stella chuckled. "Those two are lovely, aren't they? Such a closeness between them. They care so much for one another. They would do everything to protect each other and make sure the other one is doing well. They remind me of the two of us."

"If only they wouldn't be so blind, but you and I needed some times as well until we understood that we are meant to be together," Mac replied thoughtfully. "It wasn't easy for us, it never has been. I hope those two won't hesitate to admit their feelings for each other right when they discover them. Over here, no one is going to keep them apart."

"They might be careful though," Stella answered. "I've seen Lindsay yesterday. I think the events from the last few hours opened her eyes a bit more, but neither of them will admit any feelings yet I guess. Especially not as they surely fear we might think it could affect their work if they stopped ignoring this closeness between them."

"I'm sure you already know how to make them understand that there is no reason for them to be worried," Mac said with a smile. He knew his wife. She wanted everyone around her to be happy. Stella liked their two new employees who had become friends and he wasn't surprised that not only she had easily noticed those growing feelings between Danny and Lindsay but now also wanted to make sure that they followed their hearts and admitted them to each other. She wanted them to be happy. Just like they were themselves.

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**A/N: Thank you for reading! Please let us know what you think, your feedback is very appreciated. :) Rose and Brina xxxx**


	15. Of Conversations And New Obstacles

**A/N: Like promised, this time we're faster with updating. Here is a new update for you! Big thanks to all of you for the lovely support! Special thanks go to Forest Angel, cmaddict, jaamiee, Trekkie101, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, saturn567, afrozenheart412, csi-ncis and rapidtetv!**

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****Chapter 15: Of Conversations And New Obstacles **

The sun was shining bright in the deep blue sky. Montana was famous for being one of the windiest states in the United States of America; a more or less strong wind was constantly blowing across the country. This beautiful day in mid summer was no exception. A warm breeze was gently stroking over the wheat fields, making the leaves of the old, mighty trees rustle. The days were getting longer and it was so hot that the forecourt and the small road that led up to the farm were covered in a soft layer of dust.

Sitting on the steps of the guest house in which he was living since the day he had arrived at the farm, Danny enjoyed the beauty of the day during a little break. Even months after the bear attack, he was still supposed to not work too hard. He had been lucky back then and he wasn't allowed to risk his well-being because he refused to take occasional breaks.

Briefly only, Danny glanced down at his leg. The thick, slightly dirty fabric of his pants was covering the scar that would always remind him of that day in the forest. The memories of the attack made him still shudder in discomfort. At night, occasional nightmares were bothering him. He would never forget how the bear had been above him, how pain had shot through his body, caused by the long claws and sharp teeth. After that, he hadn't approached the forest without a loaded weapon.

Fortunately Dr. Sheldon Hawkes had been able to rescue his leg and also to take care of all those other gashes and scratches that had covered his body. It was due to Lindsay that he was back on his feet. He firmly believed she was to credit for his fast and well recovery.

After one day of staying at the Taylors' house, he had been transferred back to the guest house. Danny had demanded it; the guest house was his home now and he felt a lot more comfortable there. Much to his delight, Lindsay had practically moved in with him as well for the time of his recovery. He believed she couldn't have been able to get any real work done as she seemed to be by his side all day long, even at night. From Stella, he knew that she had still worked full time and he couldn't help but feel guilt at all the stress she had put on herself because of him.

Danny had tried to convince Lindsay that she didn't have to nurse him all day long, but she had only explained to him that it was no extra work and that she would love to offer her help, unless he didn't want it. Of course he wouldn't have lied by saying he didn't need her around and so had simply accepted her offer.

He didn't believe that without all her help, he would have managed to heal so quickly. She had been so encouraging. Also he had hated the fact that his injuries had worried her so much. He kept on remembering how he had woken up for the first time, in so much pain, hardly able to regain consciousness. But even worse than the horrible pain had been the fear in those beautiful brown eyes and those warm tears that had dropped onto his skin as she had cried. Because of him.

Danny had promised to Lindsay that he would listen to her orders and wouldn't do anything that could hinder his recovery. Concerning and frightening her was the furthest from his mind and he had been determined to listen to her rather than trying to speed up his recovery as he would have in the past.

This plan had succeeded. Soon he had been able to eat by himself, to sit up and after a few weeks, he was allowed to get out of his bed again for the first time. Patiently and lovingly she had nursed him back to health with sitting by his side, holding his hand. She had read to him for many hours until he had fallen asleep. She had fed him. She had brought him fresh flowers, fruits or vegetables every day so he had a little something from the country in his room as she knew how much he had started to love nature and its gift to the humans.

But even if Lindsay hadn't done all those little gestures for him, Danny would have felt better within no time. Just having her around, knowing how much the petite beauty cared for him, was all he needed. She was so friendly to him, she had such a good heart. Grown up in the city with rarely anyone around him who had offered love and support to him, Danny was experiencing something that was more precious than anything money could buy. He knew that there was someone who deeply cared for him, who wanted him to be well and happy and was willing to try everything to help him with that.

A smile lit Danny's face as he thought of how much Lindsay had changed him already during those few months he knew her. She was so different to women he knew and within days and weeks, the two of them had gotten so close that he felt like he knew her for ages already. He remembered how he had comfort her as her horse had been in danger. Now it had been her turn to offer help and support. There was something uniting them; an invisible bound which seemed to get stronger and stronger with every day.

"You have to be thinking about something really nice."

Lindsay's soft voice startled Danny and as he stared up at her with huge eyes, she laughed. "I didn't mean to scare you," she added. "But as I saw you sitting out here, I thought it would be nice to join you a bit." She offered a little object that was wrapped into a towel. "I also made some sandwiches with Stella and I thought maybe you'd like one."

His smile widened as her cheeks flushed lightly when she made her offer. Nodding his head, he took the sandwich from her. "Thank you, that's very kind of you." He nodded his head towards the empty space next to him. "I can't offer more than dusty stairs but maybe you'd like to sit down for a moment? I'd love to share with you."

Lindsay offered a smile as well and sat down next to him, a little closer than necessary. Danny refused to mention that though; he knew she would have backed off instantly and he wanted her to stay where she was. He handed one half of the sandwich to her and for a couple of minutes, they sat next to one another, eating and taking in the beautiful view in front of them as the soft wind increased lightly.

"How are you feeling?" Lindsay asked then, a little insecurely. "If I may ask."

"Of course you may ask," Danny answered with a wink. "Thanks to a wonderful nurse I had during the last couple of months, I'm fine. The scar still doesn't look too pretty, but who am I to complain? At least I still have two legs to walk on."

He tried to not grin as he discovered that Lindsay's face had reddened even more. She looked beautiful when she was shy like that. "I'm glad to hear you're fine," she told him. "I worry because of Stella though. The heat seems to be affecting her more and more."

Danny nodded. He had noticed that himself. "It is very hot, maybe she needs to drink more and spend more time out of the sun?"

Lindsay shrugged. "Probably, but see, I'm working with her and I'm not affected by the heat as much as she is." She sighed. "I hope she's alright. Maybe Dr. Hawkes should check on her. I wouldn't want her to get sick."

Danny smiled softly at her words. "You really like her a lot, don't you? She seems like a big sister to you."

Lindsay nodded in agreement. "She is. She's so nice and friendly to me. And so patient when I'm doing something wrong." Her smile widened. "And when I'm doing something right, she always praises me. She means so much to me. I just want her to feel well. I hope it's really just the heat and nothing else."

"I'm sure it is." Instinctively, Danny reached out to take one of her delicate hands into his. As he realised what he was doing, he wanted to pull back. Lindsay's fingers closed around his though and so he let his hand stay in place. "And I'm sure if Stella doesn't get better, Mac will ask Dr. Hawkes."

"I think so too." Lindsay gazed down at their joined hands, far away with her thoughts and it was Danny's turn to blush as he realised how much such a simple and small gesture affected him.

It felt so good to hold her small, soft hand which had been so gentle to him when he had needed it. It was one of those moments which Danny had started to love so much; if it was up to him, he and Lindsay would sit in front of the guest house for hours, holding hand like that. He also knew that those feelings he had for her already would continue getting stronger. To his own surprise, he didn't mind and even hoped that he could tell her about them sooner or later; he enjoyed them so much.

* * *

Mac looked up as his wife entered the kitchen, and a frown crossed his face as he saw the pallor in hers that was becoming unpleasantly familiar. "Stella, you don't look so good."

Pulling out a chair, she flopped down into it and rested her elbows on the table with a sigh.

"Headache, that's all. It's not so bad. Guess the heat doesn't agree with me." She dredged up a smile that didn't convince him, and he watched as she closed her eyes and her head dropped forward. She had looked worn out and pale for the last few days and his concern was growing. All of them had been affected by the consequences of Danny's injuries; the incident had also brought home to them all how much they relied on their health out here on their ranch.

"Sure it's only a headache?" he asked. "You didn't eat much breakfast neither, I saw you picking at things."

"Wasn't hungry. My stomach felt kind of unsettled," she answered as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Told you, Mac. Sun gets me this way sometimes, makes me feel a little sick and makes my head ache. I'll be right as rain in a bit. Dabbed some lavender water on my forehead which is doing me good already."

Mac got up and moved to stand behind her, and began rubbing small circles with his fingers at her temples. Stella sighed and relaxed a little under his touch. "You've got magic in your fingers, you know that? I feel better already," she murmured.

"Why don't you go lie down for a bit? I know you didn't sleep well again last night, you look washed out," he suggested, resting his chin on the top of her head for a moment, recalling how she had tossed and turned, wakeful until the small hours of the morning. "Any chores can wait for a few hours, or as long as you need them to."

She shook her head. "Chores can't wait, you know that. Besides, it isn't fair to Lindsay to give her extra work, she's busy enough at the moment and you know how hard she pushed herself when Danny was sick. I've got to do my fair share. Chores'll take my mind off any aches and tiredness anyhow." Breaking their contact, she twisted round in the chair to face him. "Don't worry about me, Mac."

"I can't help but worry about you when I love you, you know that," he tipped her chin up with his finger. "You're going to have to put up with that, it comes with being married to me."

Her smile refreshed her tired eyes for a moment as she reached up and caressed his face. "Well, as long as you know that I love and worry about you too, Mac. It works both ways."

Looking down at her, their gazes locked, Mac felt a wash of emotions over him; it was not often they talked about feelings, and it was Stella more often than himself who spoke first. He kept his feelings hidden under protective layers and did not share them easily, even with his wife. Sometimes, the emotions he knew he would uncover if he dug down terrified him, and so he did not delve too far. Now and again though, the glimpses into the depths of feelings he had for Stella would almost overwhelm him.

He loved her, more than anything and anyone, and sometimes that terrified him. It terrified him that he could feel such a way; that he could feel such passion and love inside him. It felt like fury sometimes, burning inside him. He loved her, and would do anything, anything at all for her. He would protect her at whatever cost, and he would keep her safe and well and happy at any cost.

What terrified him was not being able to fulfill that, for whatever reason, and that terror reared up any time her happiness and well-being was threatened. The first time it had happened, and he became aware of the power of his feeling for her, was when his family had spurned her and condemned their marriage. Mac had never felt such rage at the hurt and insult done to the woman he loved, and that had led to them being out here now, more than halfway across the country from his family.

Because he loved her and couldn't live without her.

Now, as he saw the dark circles under her eyes, he was overwhelmed by that terror again. He could not bear to see her hurting, and be at a loss to help her.

Suddenly, Stella's hand was over his, curling protectively round it. "Mac, don't worry, you've helped. I'm feeling better already."

He bent down and kissed her forehead, calmed a little by her words, but still not satisfied. "I wish you'd take yourself upstairs to lie down for a while, that would do the most good."

Stella shook her head, despite his imploring look. "Wouldn't do any good, as I'd only be thinking about the things that need doing. I'm best doing them, and as I said, it'll take my mind off my stupid head and its ache. Now, you tell me what _you're_ going to be doing and then I'll go outside and find Lindsay to carry on with the seeds we were sowing." She squeezed his hand, continuing to meet his gaze steadily.

Mac sighed, knowing he could argue no further with her. "I'm going to carry on mending those fences that are still to do, then I'll head over to the stables and see how Danny's doing, then I'll come check up on you. After that we'll get lunch and I'll make sure you have enough to eat."

Stella grinned. "I didn't expect anything less. Maybe I'll come checking up on _you_ first though."

Pushing her chair back, she stood up, but Mac did not miss how her hand gripped the back of the chair and how her eyes glassed over for a moment. Before he could say anything though, she was moving past him towards the door, where she turned back for a final word.

"Take care of yourself too, don't get too hot, and make sure we're all back together for lunch at twelve. You need to eat too." She wagged her finger at him, and Mac smiled despite himself.

"Yes, Mrs Taylor."

Flashing a loving look at him, she stepped over the threshold into the glare of the sun. Mac followed her to the door, and stood leaning sideways against the doorjamb watching as she walked across the yard, observing with concern that her steps were not as quick and light as usual. Whatever she might say in protest, he was going to insist she lie down later if her headache had not gone. He was worried too about how little she seemed to be eating recently. Her usual vital energy had been sapped by the tremendous heat of the last few days. As it had for all of them, he supposed, clutching to a straw of reassurance; maybe she was right and it was just the heat, nothing else. Even so, he was determined to make sure she was back to her usual self as soon as possible. Trying to suppress his fears, he stepped out into the yard and walked over to the fence, as the white-hot sun beat down relentlessly.

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**A/N: Big thanks to you for reading the chapter. Please let us know what you think! Rose and Brina xxxx**


	16. A Worrying Time

**A/N: As promised, this time we're again a bit faster with updating. Here is a new update for you! Big thanks to all of you for the lovely support! Special thanks go to: jaamiee, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, saturn567, afrozenheart412, csi-ncis, Rachel A Prongs and SMacked-FLAngell-DLBound !**

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****Chapter 16: A Worrying Time  
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"Lindsay!"

She looked up at the sound of her name, and smiled at Stella walking towards her round the corner of the farmhouse. Brushing her skirts off, she got to her feet and indicated with a sweep of her arm the furrows in the vegetable patch she had been kneeling amidst.

"It's all ready for sowing. What do you think?"

The other woman smiled as she reached her and gazed down at her work with her hands on her hips. "I think you've done a wonderful job. It's looking really good. I'm excited to see what this is going to look like in a few months' time!"

"Hopefully bursting with vegetables all ready for us to cook with!" Lindsay grinned, feeling a swell of pride at her work, and delighted at the prospect of seeing the results of her work. It would be worth her scratched hands and torn nails and the streaks of dirt on her skirts to see the crop of vegetables come to fruition. She wiped her hand across her hairline, feeling sweat trickling down from beneath her sun bonnet. A cool drink of lemonade would be more than welcome, and she wondered about suggesting that to Stella in a little while. She also looked as if a cold drink would do her good; the curls at the front of her hair were dark with sweat and sticking to her forehead, and her face was flushed with heat. They had jobs to be done first though before they earned the reward of the sharply sweet drink that she and Stella had made jugfuls of the previous day.

With that in mind and keen to get started, Lindsay picked up the wooden trugs and shook them so the contents rattled satisfyingly."Are we ready to sow? I got the seeds right here."

"I guess we are," Stella said and reached for one of the trugs, before she stopped, her hand held out in mid-air.

Lindsay stared at her in sudden anxiety. The colour had vanished in an instant from her face, the flush replaced by a greenish pale, and she seemed to be swaying on her feet. "Are you all right?" She touched her arm gently, and felt her concern deepen as Stella gave her a confused look and her arm fell to her side.

"Fine… just a little dizzy. Must be… must be the heat…" She rubbed the back of her hand across her brow.

As Stella took a faltering step forward, Lindsay spoke more firmly and laid her hand on her arm. "Pardon me for saying so, but you don't look fine. Maybe you ought to go back indoors."

"Don't look so… so worried," Stella turned to her, trying to force a smile it seemed, even though her lips were almost colourless. "I told you, I'm…"

Her legs gave way as her voice died.

"Stella!" Lindsay exclaimed, clutching hold of her but unable to prevent her sinking to the ground.  
She was drooping and limp, a dead weight and Lindsay could not hold her up. Instead, she eased her down as gently as she could. With a pounding heart and a sick feeling rising inside her throat at the sight of Stella's white face and closed eyes, she sat back on her heels beside her, keeping hold of her hand.

Words tumbled out of her as she patted the back of it. "Don't worry, it's all fine, I'll yell for Mac, and we'll get you indoors. Because it's just the heat that don't agree with you, that's got to be it. Don't you worry, it'll be fine…"

It did not escape her, that her words were for herself as much as for Stella, because she knew if she let the tiniest sliver of panic open up, it would overcome her. Trying to plaster over her fear, she let go of Stella's hand finally, scrambled to her feet, and yelled for help.

"Mac! Mac! I need you over here, now! I need your help!" Fisting the material of her skirt anxiously into screwed up bunches, her eyes darting between Stella's still form and across the yard, Lindsay waited for what felt like forever before she heard the sound of someone coming approaching, their boots scrunching over the dusty grit. "Mac!" she shouted again. "Quickly!"

"What is it?" She heard his stentorian voice before she saw him. "What's…" As he rounded the corner, she saw his face as he took in the scene, saw it stretch into fear as he saw his wife, and then he was running towards them.

"I'm sorry, the heat, she was fine, we were talking and then… then..." Lindsay gabbled as he reached them.

"Oh, Stella!" he groaned as he knelt down at her side and put his hand to the side of her face, his gaze running over her. "What happened?" he asked, glancing up at Lindsay before his attention returned to his wife.

Lindsay realised now she was trembling more than the Aspen trees that grew around the outbuildings and her voice came out in gasps. "She… she was standing here… and… and then she went all… all white and fainted. I'm sorry…"

"It's not your fault," he answered shaking his head. "Told her she shouldn't have come out here. I knew she wasn't well." Then he stroked his wife's cheek. "Come on, Stella. Told you resting indoors would've been the best thing for you." Lindsay could not fail to detect the exasperation mingled with fear in Mac's voice as he continued. "Guess you don't always listen to what's best for yourself though do you?"

Her eyes remained closed and Lindsay felt the oppression of the heat, her breath tight in her chest. Her hands clutched each other and she heard the blood throbbing in her ears.  
At that moment, Danny came rushing, despite his slight limp, round the corner of the yard and stopped short. His eyes widened, and the hammer he was carrying clanged to the ground, just missing his foot.

"Mac! What happened? Stella, is she all right?"

"No, but she will be," Mac answered, worry clear in his voice, still focused on his wife before he glanced up at the other man. "I'm going to have to ask you to help out here, Danny. Need you to ride over to town and request Doc Hawkes's assistance, tell him Stella's been taken bad with the heat. Ask him if he'd be so good as to come out to us, and of course I'll pay him whatever's necessary."

"Sure, boss, right away, I'm there." Nodding rapidly, Danny picked up the hammer only to look at it for a blank second and then drop it, again, narrowly missing his foot. Lindsay winced and hoped he was not going to be as reckless with his ride into town as he was with heavy carpentry tools.

As he picked it up and dashed past her, she caught hold of his fingers and muttered, "Be careful, please." It was not so long after all since Dr Hawkes had been tending to him. She had not forgotten the fear she had experienced then, during her vigil at his bedside.

"I will." Their eyes met for a moment as he answered, seeming to read her thoughts and then he touched his hat to her, flashed her a nod and a smile, and disappeared in a zephyr of dust towards the stables.

Lindsay watched him out of sight, before turning back to Mac. "It won't take Danny long to reach town," she offered, "He'll be back in no time with Dr Hawkes."

"He's a swift rider," Mac agreed. "Which I'm thankful for."

Lindsay heard the tremble of fear in his voice, as he kept his gaze fixed on his wife and felt it resonate within her. After another few anxious moments though, with the sun burning the back of her neck as she and Mac watched in stillness, she saw Stella's eyes flutter open.

Even with her legs feeling as shaky as a newborn colt's, Lindsay couldn't stop a grin of relief spreading across her face, especially when she saw the smile appear on Mac's features as he gazed lovingly at his wife and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Hey," he said, and his voice was rough. "You were out for a little while there." He released a sighing breath as he squeezed her hand "You scared us..."

"It's okay, Stella," Lindsay broke in, as she saw upset appear on her face. "I know you didn't mean to." Then feeling suddenly awkward, she said hurriedly, "I'll go get you some water."

As Stella gave her a small smile, Lindsay rushed away across the yard and into the dim, cool kitchen. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, blinking, to the lack of light. Then, as she stretched to reach a glass from the dresser, she saw how much her hands were quivering, and she stood still for a moment, drawing in a few shaky breaths and trying to calm her thumping heart. She was very fond of her employer and friend, and seeing her collapse had distressed her more than she realised.

Taking down two glasses, she filled them both from the bucket of cooled water they kept and drank the contents of one down herself with a gulp. The cool liquid in her throat felt like nectar, and she re-filled it, swallowing the water in two more gulps, finally feeling calmer. Taking up the other glass, she clasped it tightly, trying not to spill it, and set off back across the yard.

As she rounded the corner, she was relieved to see Stella sitting up with Mac's arm round her and looking stronger. Some of the colour had also returned to her face, replacing the awful greenish tinge which had been there. Mac continued to hold her hand, chafing the skin lightly with his thumb.

"Here we are," Lindsay smiled and held out the glass, dithering for a moment between giving it to Stella or her husband. Her dilemma was resolved when Stella took the glass, with a challenging look at Mac, and even though her hand was not entirely steady, she took a few sips before setting it down.

"Thank you," she murmured. "Sorry for scaring you."

Lindsay shook her head. "You don't need to say sorry, it wasn't your fault. I guess we're all suffering with the heat. How're you feeling?"

"A little better…" As Mac's face lowered, Stella gripped his hand. "Honest. Don't feel my best… but better."

"Maybe you'll listen to me now and rest yourself. And we need to get you indoors and out of this heat." He made a move to pick her up, but Stella batted him away with her hand, frowning.

"I can walk perfectly fine."

Lindsay took a step back, as she realised that an altercation was now possible between the couple.  
Pointing towards the vegetable patch, she cleared her throat, "I'll, uh, be right out here. I'll let you know when Dr Hawkes arrives."

Stella's frown became a glower as she began to attempt to get to her feet. "Mac! I don't need a Doctor…"

Not waiting to hear any more of what Stella had to say, realising that an altercation was now a certainty, Lindsay fled.

* * *

Pacing up and down by the fence that surrounded the forecourt of the farm, Lindsay kept her eyes focused on the small, wavy road that led across the fields. It seemed like hours had passed since Danny had headed into town to ask Dr. Hawkes for help, yet her heart seemed to hammer in her chest and her hands still shook.

Lindsay was confused. What was happening? She shivered as she remembered how Stella had fainted. A strong fear had filled her as she had called for Mac. Even though she had been living on the farm for just a few months now, the Taylors were like a family for her. They had allowed her to start fresh on this beautiful farm. They had given her the chance to prove that she could work good and hard. She was no longer one of several daughters who was supposed to be a perfect housewife one day. She had gotten the chance to work, to see the products of this work and to be independent.

She loved the Taylors like family members; they had always made her and Danny feel welcome at the farm and in their house. She wished nothing else but that those kind people felt well and were happy.

Now suddenly something was happening and she dearly wanted to help but she didn't know what to do for them. Instead she felt like she had made a big mistake with letting Stella know that Dr. Hawkes would arrive soon. It hadn't been her intention to cause tension between those two. Yet it seemed like that had happened and aside from her fear regarding Stella's health, she now felt guilty for probably having said too much.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she spotted Danny and Dr. Hawkes on their horses in the distance, quickly approaching the farm. She couldn't keep herself still any longer. With her heart still beating so fast that it seemed as if everyone would be able to hear it, she ran towards them.

"Hello Miss Monroe," Dr. Hawkes greeted her, stopping his horse next to Lindsay. "Is Mrs. Taylor in the main house?"

Lindsay nodded. "Mr. Taylor is awaiting you, Mrs. Taylor is up in her bedroom. I don't know what is wrong with her. She fainted so suddenly as we were working. Maybe it's the sun? It's so warm lately and she might not be handling that well."

Dr. Hawkes offered a friendly smile. "Don't you worry, Miss Monroe. I'll check on Mrs. Taylor, I'm certain she's alright. The heat might indeed have been too much for her."

With that, he continued his way to the Lindsay, staying where she was, watched him. He had tried to calm her down with his explanation, but he hadn't convinced her. She couldn't help the thought that it was not only the heat that had affected Stella and the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach increased. So badly, she wished she could do more.

"Are you alright?"

Danny's voice startled her. For a moment, she had forgotten about him and as she turned around, she found him standing behind her, watching her with concern in his eyes.

"I just worry something might be seriously wrong with Stella," Lindsay answered honestly. "She fainted. It might have been the heat, but why didn't it affect me? I'm feeling well although I've been working hard in the heat as well. What might be wrong with her? I hope she isn't really sick!" She paused, her cheeks reddening as she gazed down at her dusty boots. "I... I also might have made a mistake. I told Stella that we asked you to pick Dr. Hawkes up. She said she doesn't need a doctor and I fear she got angry at Mac. I didn't mean that to happen, I only wanted to help."

Guilt and worry once again mixed within her as she tried to sort her thoughts. She wished she knew a little about health so she could figure out by herself what was bothering Stella, and she wished she had been more careful with announcing the doctor's arrival.

Still staring down at her boots while her hands fisted the now dirty, fabric of her skirt, she missed how Danny reached out and gently lifted her chin with his index finger. Instinctively, Lindsay locked eyes with the man in front of her. Her cheeks got a shade redder as she saw the warmth and comfort he offered. He was smiling at her softly and for a brief moment, she wanted to sink into his arms, snuggle into his chest and feel those strong arms wrapping around her.

"Don't you blame yourself for letting Stella know that the doctor would arrive soon," he reassured her. "You couldn't have know that she wouldn't want to see him. And besides, she would have found out Mac asked for him to come sooner or later anyway. You didn't do anything wrong."

His hands came to rest on her shoulders now as he drew back from her a little. She hadn't realised that she had been shaking, but his gentle grip offered enough comfort which calmed her down just a little bit.

"And please don't you worry so much," he added. "You heard what Dr. Hawkes told you. He thinks Stella will be fine. Maybe she didn't drink enough. With this heat, you have to make sure to drink a lot. Maybe she didn't find the time to do so which might explain why the heat affected her more than you. And even if she fainted because of another reason, I'm sure Dr. Hawkes will have her fine and back on her feet within no time. Remember, he even healed my leg and you know how bad it looked."

Lindsay couldn't help the smile which lit her face at Danny's words. Dr. Hawkes was a very good doctor and if Stella was sick, he would be sure to heal her.

"You might be right. Everything will be fine with Stella," she said then, trying to convince herself.

Releasing her shoulders from his gentle grip, Danny cupped her cheeks. He bent down and placed a soft kiss into Lindsay's hair, surprising her with this unexpected gesture. As her eyes found his again, she shivered lightly at the warm expression she found.

"Why don't we go back to the farm now and see if Dr. Hawkes has figured out what's bothering Stella?" he asked.

"That's a good idea," she answered, dearly hoping he didn't notice that her face had turned bright red by now. "Thank you for being so kind."

"Anytime," he told her.

A few minutes later, Danny and Lindsay were on their way back to the farm. She was still nervous about finding out why Stella had fainted earlier and if she and Mac were fine or had argued because he had asked for a doctor. But she knew Stella would be fine and she decided to stay calm and believe in that.

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**A/N: Big thanks to you for reading the chapter. Please let us know what you think! Rose and Brina xxxx**


	17. Good News

**A/N: We're sorry we needed so long to update, but real life and our own fics like to get into the way sometimes. Here is a new update for you! Thanks for still following this fic and for your lovely support. Special thanks go to _SM-FA-RaiNtrain, csi-ncis, jaamie, afrozenheart412, saturn567, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP _and _Forest Angel_!**

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Chapter 17: Good News**

Still breathless from the wild ride across the countryside to the Taylors' ranch, Sheldon Hawkes paused for a moment in the cool of their kitchen to compose himself.

Daniel Messer had been in a frantic state when he had come hammering at the door to his surgery an hour ago, barely giving him time to snatch up his hat and bag. The young man had ridden ahead the whole way from town to the ranch and the doctor's own horse, a somewhat ageing mount, had struggled to keep up the pace.

It had been a relief to alight - a little wobbly - from his horse and feel that though shaken, his bones were still all intact. Daniel Messer had arrived well ahead of him and had been waiting with obvious impatience for him in the middle of the yard. While Miss Monroe watched and waited anxiously next to them, Mr Messer had taken the bridles of both horses, leading them off to a building across the yard.

But he did not begrudge the discomfort of the ride. Around Hope, there was nothing but praise for the ranch family. Everyone knew the state the old ranch had been in and to see it now, looking as spick and span as it did, told the doctor of the labour of love that had been undertaken. It seemed deeply unfair that they should be stricken twice in such a short time with misfortune.

What worried him also was the impact these misfortunes had had on the ranch family. Sheldon had been concerned to see the troubled look on Miss Monroe's face when she had spoken to him. The young woman had not seemed very reassured by his words and his confidence that Mrs Taylor would be all right. Though he had spoken with conviction, Sheldon hoped that his confidence _was_ well-founded. The only way to prove that, of course, was to see the lady herself.

Having regained his breath, he picked up his bag and made his way through the large and pleasant kitchen, noting the homely touches such as the jug of wildflowers on the windowsill and the gaily patterned curtains at each window. So different to many of the outlying homesteads he visited. Here was real love for and pride in a home and it drew a smile on his face.

At the foot of the stairs, Sheldon hesitated, wondering which was the door to the Taylors' bedroom and whether to to simply knock on each door until he found the right one. The wish that Miss Monroe had accompanied him to point him in the right direction crossed his mind briefly. However, he saw that one door was slightly ajar and guessing it to be the one he sought, he made his way up the narrow staircase.

Confirming his intuition, his knock was answered by a voice bidding him enter. Pushing the bedroom door open he set his eyes upon Mr Taylor rising from a chair at the side of the bed that Mrs Taylor lay on, her fingertips just loosing from her husband's. It was clear she had woken only moments before as her eyes blinked drowsily as she pushed herself up on her elbow

As he shook his hand, Mr Taylor's remark that he had been quick to arrive provoked a wry smile from Sheldon. "We rode back as fast as it's possible, I think," he said as he placed his large black bag on the floor before turning to Mrs Taylor, who was failing to stifle a yawn. "What is it I can do for you? Mr Messer told me you'd collapsed in the heat. How are you feeling?"

Mr Taylor hovered at the side of the bed in an attitude of tension while his wife replied, somewhat defensively, that she'd simply been out in the sun too long and had fainted.

"But I'm fine now, there was _really_ no need for you to come out all this way." She sat herself up and cast a quick frown at her husband who seemed about to say something. "I'm sorry you've been to all this trouble for nothing..."

"It's no trouble to me," Sheldon told her gently but firmly as he took in how wan her complexion looked, the heaviness of her eyes and how languid she seemed. "And I don't call fainting 'nothing'."

"Neither do I," broke in her husband, returning his wife a frown that was more than equal to the one she had given him. "You didn't come round for at least five minutes, you were exhausted after walking up the stairs and fell asleep the moment you lay down on the bed, and I'd be willing to bet you're still feeling dizzy even now. Not to mention how you've been feeling the last few days - tired, not wanting to eat, headaches... Clearly you're _not_ fine, Stella."

She gave no response other than a glare, and Sheldon knew that her husband had spoken nothing but the truth, and it was a truth she was unwilling to admit. It was time, he judged, to step in and soothe turbulent waters. Telling Mrs Taylor that he would give her a quick examination, to check that there was nothing seriously wrong with her, he also assured her that he would rather come to see a patient and be certain they were well, than not come out and neglect an illness.

Although he had an inkling what was the possible cause of her symptoms.

Her discontent subsided at his words and she sat back and allowed him to examine her without protest. It did not take long for Sheldon to confirm what he suspected. After taking her temperature, palpating her abdomen gently and asking a few pertinent questions he was ready to deliver his verdict.

Both husband and wife looked at him with apprehension. Mrs Taylor clutched at the patchwork quilt beneath her, crumpling it, and her husband tapped his fingers unconsciously on the chair on which he had sat back down. With a twinkle in his eye, Sheldon smiled at both of them. This was the part of his chosen career that brought him most joy: to be able to give good news. But it was Mrs Taylor who spoke before he could

"Well?" she asked, the bluntness of her question an attempt to conceal her worry. "Am I sick?"

Sheldon's smile broadened. "Not exactly."

"What do you mean, 'not exactly'?" Mr Taylor had a glint of impatience in his eye. His wife caught hold of his hand and they held on tight to each other.

Sheldon hastened to reassure them both. "You're not sick, Mrs Taylor," he said quickly, comfort in his words. "At least not in the way you're thinking. There's nothing wrong with you that won't be cured in about seven months' time - you're going to have a baby."

For some moments there was silence. The newly expectant parents stared, gaping at him. Beaming now at the couple, Sheldon grasped Mr Taylor's hand and shook it heartily. "May I be the first to offer you my congratulations. I'm delighted for you both."

"Thank you," Mr Taylor spoke mechanically, returning the handshake somewhat limply. His eyes were dazed as he returned his gaze to his wife, who looked equally stunned as she also murmured her thanks.

Sheldon looked quizzically at them. "Did you have no idea?"

Mrs Taylor stared at her husband, eyes wide before she turned to him to answer, "I... I had wondered, but I didn't want to get my hopes up again, I guess... after being disappointed before."

The doctor's voice softened as he told her that he understood. It was only left for him to mention Easter as the date when they could expect the baby to arrive and to tell the mother to be to rest herself for the remainder of the day, preferably in bed.

She looked disgruntled at that, reminding him that there was too much work to be done on a ranch such as theirs to allow for being idle.

Standing firm, Sheldon looked at her, speaking before her husband could intercede as he looked about to do. "I know it's not always possible, or practical, in a place like this to spend time away from your work, but instead of seeing it as being idle, look at it this way: spend a little time resting now and save yourself being worn out at a later date and having to spend even more time in bed. Just take it easy for the next few days, stay out of the sun, drink plenty of water, there's no harm in doing that. Be kind to yourself and be kind to the little one growing inside you. Give him or her the best possible chance at life."

Life was precarious out on the Montana plains, he knew that all too well. There was no doubt in his mind that this would be a dearly loved and wanted child, but he also had no doubt that both people in front of him were used to pushing themselves to their physical limits; regardless of any detrimental effect on their health.

Nevertheless, the gentle warning behind his words had silenced Mrs Taylor. She sat back against the pillows, her eyes distant. After a moment, gripping her husband's hand still, she turned her gaze to him and nodded almost imperceptibly, her murmured 'I will' barely audible. Satisfied that he had been heeded and realising that he had given her and her husband much to think about, he fastened the clasp of his bag, picked it up and turned towards the door.

"I'll see myself out, don't worry," he said. Mr Taylor, however, insisted on accompanying him to the head of the stairs, pressing bills into his hand as he shook it again and offering his thanks once more. Telling him it was his pleasure was nothing but the truth, Sheldon thought and he descended the stairs with a light tread, the smile still on his face. There was a new little life due for the ranch family and as a glitter of sunlight danced on his face through the kitchen window, he felt the joy of life itself thrill through his veins.

* * *

"Lindsay, I'm certain that Dr. Hawkes knows how to help Stella," Danny said softly. For a while now, he had been watching the young woman as she was pacing up and down in front of the main house. With her head lowered, she stared onto her dusty boots that had left various footprints in the sand that covered the large forecourt. A soft, warm wind was blowing, cooling down the previously overwhelming heat. It was a welcome change from the rough weather which he would have to get used to with the time.

But Lindsay didn't seem to pay attention, neither to him nor to the weather. As he kept on watching the young woman, Danny seemed to feel the concern that was filling her, making her so restless. There was this wish to embrace her, hold her petite form in his arms while trying to ease her concern. By now he knew that she cared a lot for those around her, him included.

To Danny, facing such a loving woman was an entirely new experience. As he had been living in the city, he had often felt alone among all those other people. He had always wondered how it was possible to feel alone in a big city, but by now he knew that something had been missing. There might have been many people, but none of them he had had any connection to.

Unlike Lindsay. He was amazed by her strong will and determination to become an independent lady who worked for her well-being and outcome. Not many women would dare to make such a move, not many women would apply at a farm so many miles away from her familiar home. Not many women would dare to travel to this farm all by herself. The thought of that still made him shiver; fortunately she had been able to protect herself well.

"Do you really believe Dr. Hawkes will find out why Stella is sick?" Lindsay asked in response to what Danny had said earlier, interrupting him in his thoughts.

"I'm sure of it," he answered. She was glancing at him, right into his eyes. What he saw in them filled him with a mix of nervousness and pride. He was unsure because she was hoping he would find answers for her questions. Pride he felt because she was turning to him although they didn't know each other for longer than a couple of weeks. "He seems to be a well experienced doctor."

Lindsay nodded slowly, trying to believe his words. She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted as the front door was opened suddenly. No one else but Dr. Hawkes stepped out of the main house, offering a friendly smile as he was greeted by two pairs of questioning eyes.

"You'll be happy to hear that Mrs. Taylor is well and healthy," he announced.

Lindsay sighed relieved. "I'm so glad to hear that, doctor. Please, can you tell us why she didn't feel well though?"

The doctor's smile widened at this question. "You might want to go and ask the Taylors yourself." With a nod, he added, "Have a lovely day."

Danny thanked the doctor as Lindsay had already hurried into the house. Briefly waving at the doctor as he left, Danny followed her inside and upstairs to the bedroom of the Taylors. Before Lindsay got the chance to knock at the closed door though, it was opened and a relieved, smiling Mac joined them in the hallway.

"Stella just went to sleep," he let them know in a quiet voice. "So you might want to come back later. But I can tell you that Stella is healthy and fine." He paused and Danny could feel the older man's excitement as he added, "We're expecting a baby."

"A baby?" Lindsay gasped, staring up at Mac with surprised widened eyes. At the nod she received in response, a bright smile lit her face and she made a tiny jump of joy. "Oh ,Mac, I'm so pleased to hear that! Stella told me once you hoped to have your own child one day. Now your wish came true. Congratulations!"

"Thank you," Mac answered, shaking the hand Lindsay offered. Danny knew it was his turn to congratulate his boss; the news was unexpected but wonderful. He could only imagine how the Taylors had hoped that there was a baby on the way, and how they must feel to know that there now was. Just briefly, he glanced at Lindsay, wondering if she wished to have children as well one day. Another thought found its way into his mind then, but quickly he shook his head. Such thoughts weren't appropriate at the moment.

"Congratulations from me as well, Mac," he said, also shaking his boss's hand. "I'm happy for you."

Mac gave him a grateful nod. "I'm sure you'll want to talk to Stella as well later when she's awake again. We've been hoping for this for so long." His smile widened. "I think this is a special day and deserves to be celebrated. So I think none of us should work until tomorrow."

Lindsay and Danny exchanged a surprised and delighted look. "You're allowing us to have the rest of the day off?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm allowing you to take the rest of the day off," Mac answered, amused by his employees' reactions. "But only if you spend it with something enjoyable."

Danny and Lindsay nodded in agreement. This day indeed deserved to be celebrated and both of them planned to enjoy it. Maybe they could even prepare something nice as a surprise for the Taylors.

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**A/N: Thanks for reading! We're happy that you're still following us. Like always, feedback is very appreciated. Rose and Brina xxxx**


	18. Love Of The Family

**A/N: Here is a new chapter from us! We're happy to see you're still enjoying out story. Thanks for the lovely feedback! It means a lot to us! Special thanks go to **_**csi-ncis, Divinia Serit, jaamiee, SM-FA-RaiNtrain, afrozenheart412, Forest Angel**_** and **_**cmaddict**_**!**

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**Chapter 18: Love Of The Family**

The bright sunshine warmed Danny's face as he sat on the rough, old stairs in front of the entrance of the main house. Before him spread the farm that had become his home. Next to him sat Lindsay, enjoying the view as well. The soft, warm wind was playing with her long, loose hair, occasionally blowing it into his direction, causing it to brush over his cheek. It felt as if pure silk was teasing his skin, and more than once he felt the urge to reach out, grab a handful of her soft hair, take in its intoxicating smell.

She was a beauty; the young woman with the deep brown eyes and the sparks in them ever since the moment they had found out that Stella would be alright. The news had to be celebrated, and Mac had even agreed to give them the rest of the day off.

"I'm wondering what we could do to celebrate with Mac and Stella," Lindsay spoke what he had in mind as well. She sighed softly. "Danny, I can't tell you how relieved I am to know that Stella is alright. I was so worried all the time. Now look at how happy she and Mac are. They wanted to have a baby so much."

Danny nodded. "It's made them happy." He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, and so used the conversation as a chance to study her. He could feel how eagerly she was trying to come up with a lovely idea that could surprise the couple. "I'm sure we can arrange something for them."

There was more he wanted to add, more he wanted to ask. Not only his own hesitation but also Mac, who then left the main house, stopped him. Glancing up, Danny found the older man greeting them with a smile. Their boss was a strict, yet very friendly man, but never before, had they seen such a smile spreading across his face. Danny could only imagine how delighted Mac had to be.

"Lindsay, you said you'd like to see Stella and congratulate her, am I right?" Mac asked. As Lindsay nodded eagerly, he added, "She's awake again and would love you to come upstairs."

"Oh!" Excitedly, Lindsay jumped to her feet, her long skirt rustling as she did so. "I would love to, Mac. Thank you." She offered a bright smile that caused Danny's heart to beat faster as she turned her attention to him once again. "I'd like to continue our little discussion later if you don't mind?"

Danny nodded in response. He watched how Lindsay bolted into the house, amused as he listened to the sound of her boots on the old wooden stairs as she hurried upstairs. He adored how easily she got excited; by the work she was doing, by the beautiful landscape and the rough weather, and by everything else that caught her attention. Her mood was influencing, and every day he woke up, her smile was the first image that found its way into his mind.

"Would you mind if I joined you?" Mac asked then, causing Danny's thoughts to return to the present time. He shook his head, signalling for Mac to join him on the stairs.

In silence, the men sat next to each other. Danny wouldn't say he was terrified when he was around Mac, yet he had a fair amount of respect for his boss: Mac had created a lot with his own hands; he had found himself a wife, with whom he was now expecting a baby and he had bought a ranch in the wild countryside of Montana and was succeeding as a farmer.

When he had been younger, Danny had had a lot of dreams, some of them so big that he wasn't sure if he could ever make them come true. Since the day he had decided to leave the city and start fresh on this farm near Hope, Danny had discovered other wishes. Running his own farm one day; this was a goal he could reach, and marrying a loving wife was an imagination that filled him with joy.

"Congratulations again from me, Mac," he chose to say then, hoping he would be able to get a little conversation started.

"Thank you, Danny," Mac responded, nodding. "It's nice of you to be happy for us."

"Of course I am! All I wish for you and your wife is happiness," Danny let his boss know. "I'm sure you and Stella will do great as parents. If I may say that."

Mac's smile grew and a chuckle escaped him. "That's good of you to say that, Danny." He paused, once more letting his eyes wander across the land in front of them. "A lot will change when the baby is born. We'll need to depend a lot on you and Lindsay."

"Lindsay and I will do everything to help as much as we can," Danny answered, nodding his head to emphasize his words. "She and I can work together very well, so you shouldn't be worried about that."

The knowing smile Mac gave him in response caused Danny's cheeks to redden. "I know you work together very well," he let the younger man know. "I might not have told you this often, but I'm very pleased with your work. You adjusted to the farm very easily and I would like to offer you and Lindsay more responsibility."

Danny's eyes widened in surprise at his boss's suggestion. "Are you sure you trust us enough?" he couldn't help but ask.

"I know you won't disappoint us," Mac answered, patting Danny's shoulder encouragingly.

"Mac...this suggestion...I didn't expect you to think of us," Danny admitted.

Mac laughed. "When Stella and I agreed to employ you and Lindsay, we knew we'd made a good choice. Even back then, we were hoping to have a family soon. I want you to believe in your own skills. You said it yourself; you and Lindsay work together well. Of course, it's your decision whether you take the offer or not."

"Of course I want to take it!" An excited smile spread across his face as Danny shook Mac's hand. He had hoped his work would please his boss, that he wouldn't disappoint him and prove that he was a good farm worker. That Mac trusted in him and Lindsay enough to have more responsibility had come unexpected for him. He wasn't ready to admit it openly in front of his boss, but for Danny, this gesture meant so much that even his already high motivation grew. Never before, anyone had been proud of him; this feeling was a whole new experience for Danny.

"You must be very happy, Mac," he said then. The earlier tension and slight nervousness, which he often felt around his boss, had eased again.

"That I am." Mac nodded in agreement. "Stella especially suffered because it took so long." He sighed, pausing to gaze out at the landscape for a moment. "I think she feared it would never happen."

"I can understand that," Danny said. "She must be even more delighted now that she has the confirmation she'll be a mother soon."

"After the first moment of surprise, she is," Mac answered. Once again, he offered a knowing smile. "What about you though? Are you thinking about having your own little family one day?"

"Oh, I'm not so sure, Mac," Danny answered quickly, his cheeks heating up instantly. "I would have to find a wife first."

"That can happen faster than you think," Mac told him.

Nodding, Danny turned his attention back to the view in front of him, hoping his boss didn't have the gift that allowed him to read his mind. The sun was shining bright, somewhere in the distance, he could hear the soft rushing of the small creek, the wind was rustling in the tall trees, gently stroking over the large wheat fields. There was a woman who he cared for a lot. He loved to work together with Lindsay, but even more he loved to spend time with her outside of work. Later, they would have to think about a nice, little surprise for the Taylors, but he was determined to lure her away from the farm more often.

* * *

Resting against her pillows, still tired but refreshed after her sleep, Stella smiled to herself as she heard the sound of someone running up the stairs. She knew who it was and was glad for the promise of her company. As the visitor paused outside the door, hesitating to knock, she called out as brightly as possible for her to enter.

The door opened slowly and a face peeped round it, the brown eyes of Lindsay looking anxious.

"Come on in," Stella encouraged her again. "It's good to see you."

"You don't mind a visitor? I'm not disturbing you? Mac said you'd been asleep..." Lindsay, wringing her hands together, asked.

Stella shook her head. "Absolutely not. I'm wide awake, as you can see, and I asked Mac to tell you it was okay to come up. To tell you the truth," she continued confidingly as Lindsay approached and she gestured for her to sit on the chair Mac had occupied earlier. "I'm a little bored here; Mac's insisting I stay here for the rest of the afternoon and you know I'm not someone who enjoys being in bed during the daytime." She smiled to reassure the younger woman and Lindsay relaxed, setting herself further back onto the chair.

"I don't either," she said. "It always seems such a waste of the day, to be in bed when you could be doing so many other things."

"My thoughts exactly," Stella agreed fervently. "Especially on a day like today with so much to do..." All the tasks she had not completed swam in front of her mind - the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning... she sighed, wishing her head didn't feel quite so fuzzy still.

"Are you all right?" Lindsay's anxious voice brought clarity back to her mind and she managed a smile.

"Yes, just thinking about everything I could be doing - _should_ be doing." She shrugged her shoulders a little helplessly and to her slight surprise, Lindsay gave her a stern look.

"No you shouldn't. You mustn't think about those things. I can do all of them. The planting can be finished tomorrow, I'll cook us all dinner tonight, the laundry won't take me long and neither will the cleaning. There's nothing you have to think about."

Touched, but still troubled at the idea of her responsibilities being taken by someone else, Stella frowned as she told Lindsay that she did not expect her to do all of that by herself. At that, a smile and a smudge of colour crept into the young woman's face. As she replied that she wouldn't be doing it all herself, Stella studied her with her head tilted a fraction.

"Danny will help me," Lindsay said simply. "Mac's given us a half-day holiday in celebration so we'll finish those tasks and then we'll spend the rest of the time out in the open, maybe taking a picnic."

"That sounds perfect," Stella responded and the two women smiled at each other before Lindsay's hand flew to her mouth.

"Oh, I haven't even offered you my congratulations!" Guilt passed over her face. "I'm so sorry. That was the whole reason I wanted to come up and see you." Her hands flat on her thighs, Lindsay spoke earnestly. "Please accept my congratulations, I'm truly happy for you, Stella."

Laying a hand over hers, Stella felt emotions well up in her. "Thank you, and I know, I can see. It... it was unexpected, but something we've wanted for a long time..." Her voice faltered for a moment and she attempted a rather watery laugh to disguise it. "A baby... I haven't quite taken it all in yet, neither has Mac, but it's wonderful news for us both."

"For all of us," Lindsay said softly. "A baby is very special."

Something in her voice caught at Stella and she wondered, deciding to ask outright what had sparked in her mind with Lindsay's remark.

"Is a husband and a child something you'd like for yourself one day?" She moved her hand from Lindsay's and clasped both hands round her knees as she sat up, regarding the younger woman with interest. Both she and Mac had discussed the possibility of a relationship between their two employees; neither had missed the looks exchanged - the shy half-glances and the little touches that passed almost unnoticed and yet were clear with significance.

A deeper colour passed across Lindsay's face and Stella hoped suddenly that she had not spoken out of turn; embarrassing her being the last thing she wanted to do.

"I think it's something that many women want..." Lindsay said eventually, glancing at Stella before studying her hands.

"But not something you want yourself?" Stella was curious, wondering why the somewhat evasive answer had been given.

"I-I'm not certain of that," she faltered her fingers picking at her skirt, a habit Stella had noted before.

Stella smiled. "Neither was I, before I met Mac. As soon as we met, though it took us a little while and though we had a few difficulties before we were married, we both knew for a long time that we wanted a family together." She kept to herself, not wanting to dwell on any bitter thoughts on such a day of happiness, all the cruelty and spite there had been towards her from some of Mac's family. The new life, in all its meanings, that they had created out here, had almost erased the hardships of the past.

Sensing Lindsay's discomfort, however, Stella hastened to change the subject and she engaged Lindsay in discussion about all the things she would need before the baby was born; such things as outfits, blankets, a crib and all the other necessities for a new little life. All things that Lindsay offered eagerly to help with; an offer that Stella was grateful to accept.

But only little while later though, to her irritation, she felt her limbs becoming heavier with weariness and her vision wavering. After being unable to suppress several yawns, she turned pink at Lindsay's stern-looking gaze.

"You're tired," her companion said in accusation and Stella gave her a rueful smile.

"Is it that obvious, huh?"

Lindsay grinned. "Considering that last yawn was almost big enough to swallow me, I'd say it was a little bit obvious."

Laughing, Stella was pleased to see Lindsay so much more relaxed now. With another yawn and a stretch she settled herself back against the pillows, admitting that she did feel rather worn but was otherwise much better than she had felt earlier.

"I'm so glad you're all right," Lindsay said after a moment's pause. Dismayed to see the look of concern in the young woman's eyes, Stella looked quizzically at her. Lindsay gave a half-shy smile and her hands clasped together again. "I-we were all worried, after you fainted. I thought there must have been something very wrong..."

Stella remembered, vaguely, the moments before everything had started spinning and the moments after her vision had clarified to reveal her husband staring down at her with fear in his eyes. She, too, had been worried that there was something else causing the symptoms she had suffered from - Doctor Hawkes' reassurance that she was not sick had relieved her more than she could say. Although, despite the elation that was just taking hold of her, she was still more than a little frightened at what lay ahead with pregnancy, all the complications there could be, the birth and then how they would manage everything on the ranch with a baby to take care of as well...

"I'm fine," she said, convincing herself at the same time that everything else would be, too. "And I really am sorry that I fainted like that."

"As I said to you before," Lindsay smiled, "It wasn't your fault."

They smiled at each other even as Stella felt herself becoming more and more drowsy as the afternoon heat sweltered into the room. Obviously noticing, Lindsay once more gave her congratulations before she turned and with a swirl of skirts left the room, a brightness in her step that Stella was happy to see. She had no need to worry for her employees and for that she was thankful.

Lying down on her side, turning a few times to find the coolest, most comfortable spot on the bed, she closed her eyes and allowed sleep to find her. The bedroom door opening, however, caused her to crack one eye open and pull a face at the intruder.

Mac chuckled at the sight of it as he came and sat on the bed next to her, running his hand up and down her leg. "I thought staying in bed was the last thing you wanted to do," he teased her.

She mumbled something incoherent, unhappy at the reminder, but became more kindly disposed towards him when he passed her a bowl of fruit. Sitting up, she took a hesitant first spoonful and then finished the rest quickly, the fruit wonderfully cool and refreshing in her mouth. After she had done, Mac took the bowl, placed it on top of the chest of drawers and then sat himself down on the bed again, this time by her pillows. Sighing in contentment, she wriggled herself into a comfortable position with her head on his lap. His hand stroked through her hair while the other entwined with her fingers. In the loving silence that needed no words between them, she let sleep enfold her and drift her away into dreams.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for taking the time to read this chapter! Like always, feedback is very appreciated. :) Rose and Brina xxxx**


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